progressive adjective [Cf. F. progressif.]

1. Moving forward; proceeding onward; advancing; evincing progress; increasing; as, progressive motion or course; – opposed to retrograde.

2. Improving; as, art is in a progressive state.

Progressive euchre

or

Progressive whist

a way of playing at card parties, by which after every game, the losers at the first table go to the last table, and the winners at all the tables, except the first, move up to the next table.

Progressive muscular atrophy (Med.)

a nervous disorder characterized by continuous atrophy of the muscles.

Pro-gress′ive-ly adverb

Pro-gress′ive-ness noun

-- Webster's unabridged 1913