The Latin verb discurrere meant "to run about", and from this word we get our word discursive, which often means rambling about over a wide range of topics. A discursive writing style …

DISCURSIVE definition: 1. involving discussion: 2. talking about or dealing with subjects that are only slightly…. Learn more.

If a style of writing is discursive, it includes a lot of facts or opinions that are not necessarily relevant.

Discursive definition: passing aimlessly from one subject to another; digressive; rambling.. See examples of DISCURSIVE used in a sentence.

Definition of discursive adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the word discursive, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

discursive (dɪˈskɜːsɪv) adj 1. passing from one topic to another, usually in an unmethodical way; digressive

Aug 28, 2025 · discursive (comparative more discursive, superlative most discursive) Of or concerning discourse.

DISCURSIVE meaning: talking or writing about many different things in a way that is not highly organized

The adjective discursive is often used to describe speech or writing that tends to stray from the main point, but the word can also have almost the opposite meaning.