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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

radical en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • (Australia) audio
  • /ˈɹadɪkəl/ (British, Southern, Standard)
  • /ˈɹædɪkəl/

Etymology

PIE word *wréh₂ds Inherited from Middle English radical, from Latin rādīcālis (“of or pertaining to the root, having roots, radical”). Compare grassroots.

Meanings

  1. (not-comparable) Of or pertaining to the root of a plant.
  2. (not-comparable) Of or pertaining to the root of a word.
  3. (not-comparable, of a sound) Produced using the root of the tongue.
  4. Relating to a radix or mathematical root.
    • a radical quantity; a radical sign
  5. Pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something.
    • The most determined exertions of that authority, against them, only showed their radical independence. 1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC:
  6. Favoring fundamental change, or change at the root cause of a matter.
    • His beliefs are radical.
  7. Thoroughgoing; far-reaching.
    • 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. 2012 January 14, Donald Worster, “A Drier and Hotter Future”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2012, page 70:
    • The spread of the cancer required radical surgery, and the entire organ was removed.
  8. (not-comparable) Involving free radicals.
  9. (slang) Excellent; awesome.
    • That was a radical jump!

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
more radical Degree=Cmp lexicographic
most radical Degree=Sup lexicographic

Antonyms

derived (antonym(s) of “linguistics, in reference to words”) · ignorable · derivative (antonym(s) of “linguistics, in reference to words”) · trivial

Coordinates

coronal · labial · dorsal · laryngeal

Deriveds

biradical · radically · radical anion · radical Islam · radicality · hyperradical · radical mastectomy · radical feminist · postradical · dudical · multiradical · antiradical · radical reform · radicalistic · ultraradical · radicalize · radical centrist · radical ion · radicalism · radical plane · radicalization · radical vinegar · radical line · radical pluralism · radical axis · radical feminism · radicalish · radical center · radicalness · counterradical · radical empiricism · nonradical · equiradical · radicalise · radicool · intraradical · unradical · tetraradical · radical prostatectomy · radical empiricist · radical centrism · radical cation · deradical · radical right · radical chic · semiradical · radical hysterectomy · extraradical

Relateds

root · radix

Synonyms

Jacobinic · Jacobin · Jacobinical · fundamental · primitive (in reference to words) · rad

Translations (101)

da radikal (6. favouring fundamental change) · nn radikal (6. favouring fundamental change) · mi wāwāhi tahā (6. favouring fundamental change) · ru фундамента́льный (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · ro rădăcinal (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · hi उग्रवादी (6. favouring fundamental change) · kk түбегейлі (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · el ριζικός (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · vi cấp tiến (6. favouring fundamental change) · bg за коренуване (4. mathematics: involving roots) · fi juuri- (4. mathematics: involving roots) · pt radical (8. chemistry: involving free radicals) · ar جَذْريّ (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · fr radical (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · pl radykalny (6. favouring fundamental change) · fi huima (9. slang: excellent) · fr radical (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · hi अतिवादी (6. favouring fundamental change) · mi tohutumu (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · es radical (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · nb radikal (6. favouring fundamental change) · pl radykalny (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · bg радикалов (8. chemistry: involving free radicals) · ru радика́льный (6. favouring fundamental change) · bg фундаментален (6. favouring fundamental change) · nl radicaal (8. chemistry: involving free radicals) · fi radikaalinen (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · it radicale (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · de krass (9. slang: excellent) · fi perusteellinen (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · ru корнево́й (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · lv iracionāls (4. mathematics: involving roots) · el ριζοσπαστικός (6. favouring fundamental change) · cmn 根部的 (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · he יסודי (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · cmn 根本的 (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · es radical (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · ro de rădăcină (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · fi radikaalinen (8. chemistry: involving free radicals) · ru корнево́й (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · fr radical (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · he רָדִיקָלִי (6. favouring fundamental change) · id radikal (6. favouring fundamental change) · id radikal (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · az radikal (6. favouring fundamental change) · bg радикален (6. favouring fundamental change) · fi mullistava (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · fi radikaali (6. favouring fundamental change) · pl rodnik (8. chemistry: involving free radicals) · pt radical (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · ru основно́й (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · id radikal (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · fi juuri- (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · pt radical (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · hy հիմնարար (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · es radical (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · bg коренен (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · es radical (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · fr radical (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · hy արմատական (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · fi radikaali- (8. chemistry: involving free radicals) · he רָדִיקָלִית (6. favouring fundamental change) · it radicale (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · cmn 詞根的 /词根的 (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · pt radical (9. slang: excellent) · fi perus- (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · de Wurzel- (4. mathematics: involving roots) · it radicalico (8. chemistry: involving free radicals) · pt radical (6. favouring fundamental change) · de radikal (6. favouring fundamental change) · ru коренной (6. favouring fundamental change) · fi radikaalinen (med.) (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · it irrazionale (4. mathematics: involving roots) · bg основен (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · bg коренен (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · hi चरमपंथी (6. favouring fundamental change) · cmn 根的 (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · ca radical (6. favouring fundamental change) · ja 徹底的な (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · id radikal (8. chemistry: involving free radicals) · he שורשי (2. linguistics: pertaining to the root of a word) · kk радикалдық (6. favouring fundamental change) · sv radikal (4. mathematics: involving roots) · de radikalisch (8. chemistry: involving free radicals) · fr super (9. slang: excellent) · ca radical (1. pertaining to the root (of a plant)) · uk радика́льний (6. favouring fundamental change) · fa رادیکال (6. favouring fundamental change) · fr radical (6. favouring fundamental change) · bg основен (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · bg под корен (4. mathematics: involving roots) · de radikal (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · he שורשי (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · hi इंतहापसंद (6. favouring fundamental change) · mi whakawhana (6. favouring fundamental change) · cs radikální (7. thoroughgoing; far-reaching) · ja 根本的な (5. pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) · ja 抜本的な (6. favouring fundamental change) · fr génial (9. slang: excellent) · es radical (4. mathematics: involving roots) · es radical (6. favouring fundamental change)

radical en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (Australia) audio
  • /ˈɹadɪkəl/ (British, Southern, Standard)
  • /ˈɹædɪkəl/

Etymology

PIE word *wréh₂ds Inherited from Middle English radical, from Latin rādīcālis (“of or pertaining to the root, having roots, radical”). Compare grassroots.

Meanings

  1. A root (of a number or quantity).
  2. In logographic writing systems such as the Chinese writing system, the portion of a character used to index it. Often, but not always, this is also the portion indicating meaning; compare the following sense. ▸ In logographic writing systems such as the Chinese writing system, the portion of a character (if any) that provides an indication of its meaning, as opposed to being wholly phonetic.
  3. (common, proscribed) In logographic writing systems such as the Chinese writing system, the portion of a character used to index it. Often, but not always, this is also the portion indicating meaning; compare the following sense. ▸ Any component of a logographic character, whether used for indexing or not, whether semantic or not.
    • The boy recognised the Chinese characters, though the calligraphy looked a bit strange, as if drawn by someone who had seen them and copied them out radical by radical without knowing what they meant. 2022, R. F. Kuang, Babel, HarperVoyager, page 9:
  4. In Celtic languages, the basic, underlying form of an initial consonant which can be further mutated under the Celtic initial consonant mutations.
  5. In Semitic languages, any one of the set of consonants (typically three) that make up a root.
  6. A group of atoms, joined by covalent bonds, that take part in reactions as a single unit.
  7. A free radical.
  8. (of an ideal, qualifier:commutative algebra; ring theory; commutative algebra; ring theory) Given an ideal I in a commutative ring R, another ideal, denoted Rad(I) or √, such that an element x ∈ R is in Rad(I) if, for some positive integer n, xⁿ ∈ I; equivalently, the intersection of all prime ideals containing I.
  9. (of a ring, qualifier:ring theory) Given a ring R, an ideal containing elements of R that share a property considered, in some sense, "not good".
  10. (of a module, qualifier:ring theory) The intersection of maximal submodules of a given module.
  11. The product of the distinct prime factors of a given positive integer.
  12. (historical, qualifier:19th-century Britain) A member of the most progressive wing of the Liberal Party; someone favouring social reform (but generally stopping short of socialism).
  13. (historical, qualifier:early 20th-century France) A member of an influential, centrist political party favouring moderate social reform, a republican constitution, and secular politics.
  14. A person with radical opinions.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
radicals Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

Jacobson radical · biradical · heteroradical · upper nil radical · lower radical operator · Artinian radical · Bring radical · metalloradical · antiradical · oxyradical · diradical · ultraradical · strong radical · Levitzki radical · Baer radical · macroradical · Kangxi radical · radical class · polyradical · radical ideal · coradical · counterradical · triradical · lower radical · nonradical · preradical · aminyl radical · radical sign · tetraradical · free radical · Köthe radical · Brown–McCoy radical · aminoxyl radical · singular radical · pseudoradical

Relateds

nilradical

Synonyms

semantophore · component

Translations (100)

bg свободен радикал (6. organic chemistry: free radical) · ru радика́л (12. historical: early 20th-century France) · fr radicale (12. historical: early 20th-century France) · bg корен (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · ru радика́л (4. linguistics: any one of the set of consonants that make up a root) · ru ко́рень (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · cs radikál (6. organic chemistry: free radical) · de Radikal (6. organic chemistry: free radical) · id radikal (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · tl pang-ugat (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · ja 部首 (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · ca radical (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · fi juuri (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · it radicale (7. ring theory: intersection of prime ideals containing a given ideal) · vi gốc tự do (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · it radicale (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · it radicale (9. ring theory: intersection of maximal submodules of a module) · ru радика́лка (13. person with radical opinions) · ru радика́л (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · fi radikaali (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · tk kök (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · hi उग्रवादी (13. person with radical opinions) · uk радика́лка (13. person with radical opinions) · es radical (13. person with radical opinions) · es radical (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · cmn 部首 (4. linguistics: any one of the set of consonants that make up a root) · fi radikaali (13. person with radical opinions) · tl mulipon (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · bg радикал (13. person with radical opinions) · mi kaiwhakatuma (13. person with radical opinions) · bg радикал (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · pt radical (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · ru радика́л (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · de Radikal (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · ko 급진파 (13. person with radical opinions) · fi vapaa radikaali (6. organic chemistry: free radical) · bg корен (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · pl pierwiastek (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · ru радика́л (13. person with radical opinions) · pl radykał (13. person with radical opinions) · cmn 偏旁 (4. linguistics: any one of the set of consonants that make up a root) · ru радика́л (6. organic chemistry: free radical) · pl radykał (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · km រ៉ាឌីកាល់ (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · ja 累乗根 (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · ms radikal (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · vi bộ thủ (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · pl pierwiastek (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · it radicale (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · it radicale (12. historical: early 20th-century France) · el ριζοσπάστης (13. person with radical opinions) · be радыка́л (13. person with radical opinions) · kk радикал (13. person with radical opinions) · it radicale (4. linguistics: any one of the set of consonants that make up a root) · hi अतिवादी (13. person with radical opinions) · pl rodnik (6. organic chemistry: free radical) · cmn 部首 (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · it radicale (10. number theory: product of the distinct prime factors of a given positive integer) · be радыка́лка (13. person with radical opinions) · cmn 急進派 /急进派 (13. person with radical opinions) · it radicale (6. organic chemistry: free radical) · it radice (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · de Radikaler (13. person with radical opinions) · cmn 激进分子 (13. person with radical opinions) · ca radical (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · fr radical (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · de Radix (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · ca radical (13. person with radical opinions) · de Wurzel (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · km រ៉ាឌីកាល់ (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · ko 부수 (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · fi radikaali (12. historical: early 20th-century France) · ar رَادِيكَالِيّ (13. person with radical opinions) · hi चरमपंथी (13. person with radical opinions) · it radicale (11. historical: 19th-century England) · ja 根 (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · fi radikaali (4. linguistics: any one of the set of consonants that make up a root) · fr racine (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · cs radikál (13. person with radical opinions) · fr clé (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · pt radical (13. person with radical opinions) · cmn 词根 (4. linguistics: any one of the set of consonants that make up a root) · et kirjamärk (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · pl radykał (7. ring theory: intersection of prime ideals containing a given ideal) · ja 急進派 (13. person with radical opinions) · fi radikaali (11. historical: 19th-century England) · it radicale (13. person with radical opinions) · ru радика́л (11. historical: 19th-century England) · hi इंतहापसंद (13. person with radical opinions) · fr radical (12. historical: early 20th-century France) · uk радика́л (13. person with radical opinions) · ru ключ (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning) · cmn 根 (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · it radicale (8. ring theory: ideal of elements of a ring sharing a certain given property) · es radical (1. arithmetic: root (of a number or quantity)) · fr radical (6. organic chemistry: free radical) · nl radicaal (5. chemistry: group of atoms that take part in reactions as a single unit) · de Radikale (13. person with radical opinions) · ru ко́рень (4. linguistics: any one of the set of consonants that make up a root) · pl klucz (2.1. linguistics: portion of a character that provides an indication of its meaning)