In my opinion, when progressive is as an adj. , it means have good and new ideas, or advanced, wise. When progressive is as a noun, it means a person has good, new, advanced ideas. When it was used in politics, it has the common opposite, conservative, e.g. political battles between progressives and conservatives 改革派和保守派的政治斗争。 It is just my understanding.
lingo and jargon, by the way, I am so interested in those two words,.Very good.