radical
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From French radical, from Late Latin radicalis (“of or pertaining to the root, having roots, radical”), from Latin radix (“root”); see radix.
Pronunciation [edit]
Adjective [edit]
radical (comparative more radical, superlative most radical)
- Favoring fundamental change, or change at the root cause of a matter.
- His beliefs are radical.
- (botany, not comparable) Of or pertaining to a root (of a plant).
- Of or pertaining to the intrinsic nature of something.
- Thoroughgoing.
- 2012 January 1, Donald Worster, “A Drier and Hotter Future”, American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, page 70:
- Phoenix and Lubbock are both caught in severe drought, and it is going to get much worse. We may see many such [dust] storms in the decades ahead, along with species extinctions, radical disturbance of ecosystems, and intensified social conflict over land and water. Welcome to the Anthropocene, the epoch when humans have become a major geological and climatic force.
- The spread of the cancer required radical surgery, and the entire organ was removed.
- 2012 January 1, Donald Worster, “A Drier and Hotter Future”, American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, page 70:
- (linguistics, not comparable) Of or pertaining to the root of a word.
- (chemistry, not comparable) Involving free radicals
- (slang, 1990s) Excellent; awesome.
- That was a radical jump!
Derived terms [edit]
- radicalness
- radicality
- radicalize
- radically
- radical empiricism
- radical feminism
- radical left
- radical pluralism
- radical reform
- radical right
- radical Islam
- radical vinegar
Related terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
pertaining to the intrinsic nature of something
thoroughgoing
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favouring fundamental change
linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word
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chemistry: involving free radicals
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
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Noun [edit]
radical (plural radicals)
- (historical: 19th-century England) A member of the most progressive wing of the Liberal Party; someone favouring social reform (but generally stopping short of socialism).
- (historical: early 20th-century France) A member of an influential, centrist political party favouring moderate social reform, a republican constitution, and secular politics.
- A person with radical opinions.
- (arithmetic) A root (of a number or quantity).
- (linguistics) In logographic writing systems as the Chinese writing system, the portion of a character (if any) that provides an indication of its meaning, as opposed to phonetic.
- (linguistics) In Semitic languages, any one of the set of consonants (typically three) that make up a root.
- (chemistry) A group of atoms, joined by covalent bonds, that take part in reactions as a single unit.
- (organic chemistry) A free radical.
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
person with radical opinions
historical: early 20th-century France
arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)
linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning
linguistics: any one of the set of consonants that make up a root
chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit
organic chemistry: free radical
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
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External links [edit]
- radical in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- radical in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Anagrams [edit]
French [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
- IPA: /ʁa.di.kal/, X-SAMPA: /Ra.di.kal/
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Audio (France, Paris) (file) - Rhymes: -al
- Homophones: radicale, radicales
Adjective [edit]
radical m (feminine radicale, masculine plural radicaux, feminine plural radicales)
Galician [edit]
Noun [edit]
radical m (plural radicais)
- radical (in various senses)
Spanish [edit]
Adjective [edit]
radical m and f (plural radicales)
Noun [edit]
radical m (plural radicales)
