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We go through this same discussion about every 6 months on rec.music.progressive. But let me tell you what it means to me.
Progressive, in a nutshell to me, means to "bring to the next level." I think calling it progressive rock means that at one time, in the late 60s with The Beatles, rock started to "progress" to become something new. It wasn't "rock and roll" as they knew it (Elvis, Buddy Holly, etc), but it maintained some aspects of rock (the instrucments were essentially the same, the overall style was rock-like, etc.)
Oddly enough, the musicians who created Progressive Rock in that era didn't see themselves as rock musicians. They really thought they were creating something new and different, which they were.
I think progressive rock, as it is used today has three meanings:
1. Rock in the style of the late 60s/early-mid 70s progressive rock bands, and
2. Rock that is progressing music to a new, never heard-before level (or at least trying).
3. Rock that invokes certain attributes of 1, in an attempt to become 2.
Generally, fans of 1 hate 2, but fans of 2 like 1, and cite them as early influences.
Examples of 3 include Radiohead and Tool, (others would say Queensryche and such).
There are few examples of 2, but might include more experimental groups like Blue Man Group, but also include well-knowns like Vangelis, Enya, Phillip Glass and Art of Noise.
Essentailly, I think "prog" is mostly 1.
That's my 2 cents...
Avian
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