Add Power to Your knowledge, Find Words or Phrases Definitions

Browse Words or Phrases Definitions by Letter:

0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | All

Search Definitions by Words or Phrases:

HOME | Definition of radical (RADICAL, Radical)


    Radical \Rad"i*cal\ (r[a^]d"[i^]*kal), a. [F., fr. L. radicalis
    having roots, fr. radix, -icis, a root. See Radix.]
    1. Of or pertaining to the root; proceeding directly from the
    root.
    [1913 Webster]

    2. Hence: Of or pertaining to the root or origin; reaching to
    the center, to the foundation, to the ultimate sources, to
    the principles, or the like; original; fundamental;
    thorough-going; unsparing; extreme; as, radical evils;
    radical reform; a radical party.
    [1913 Webster]

    The most determined exertions of that authority,
    against them, only showed their radical
    independence. --Burke.
    [1913 Webster]

    3. (Bot.)
    (a) Belonging to, or proceeding from, the root of a plant;
    as, radical tubers or hairs.
    (b) Proceeding from a rootlike stem, or one which does not
    rise above the ground; as, the radical leaves of the
    dandelion and the sidesaddle flower.
    [1913 Webster]

    4. (Philol.) Relating, or belonging, to the root, or ultimate
    source of derivation; as, a radical verbal form.
    [1913 Webster]

    5. (Math.) Of or pertaining to a radix or root; as, a radical
    quantity; a radical sign. See below.
    [1913 Webster]

    Radical axis of two circles. (Geom.) See under Axis.

    Radical pitch, the pitch or tone with which the utterance
    of a syllable begins. --Rush.

    Radical quantity (Alg.), a quantity to which the radical
    sign is prefixed; specifically, a quantity which is not a
    perfect power of the degree indicated by the radical sign;
    a surd.

    Radical sign (Math.), the sign [root] (originally the
    letter r, the initial of radix, root), placed before any
    quantity, denoting that its root is to be extracted; thus,
    [root]a, or [root](a + b). To indicate any other than the
    square root, a corresponding figure is placed over the
    sign; thus, [cuberoot]a, indicates the third or cube root
    of a.

    Radical stress (Elocution), force of utterance falling on
    the initial part of a syllable or sound.

    Radical vessels (Anat.), minute vessels which originate in
    the substance of the tissues.
    [1913 Webster]

    Syn: Primitive; original; natural; underived; fundamental;
    entire.

    Usage: Radical, Entire. These words are frequently
    employed as interchangeable in describing some marked
    alteration in the condition of things. There is,
    however, an obvious difference between them. A radical
    cure, reform, etc., is one which goes to the root of
    the thing in question; and it is entire, in the sense
    that, by affecting the root, it affects in an
    appropriate degree the entire body nourished by the
    root; but it may not be entire in the sense of making
    a change complete in its nature, as well as in its
    extent. Hence, we speak of a radical change; a radical
    improvement; radical differences of opinion; while an
    entire change, an entire improvement, an entire
    difference of opinion, might indicate more than was
    actually intended. A certain change may be both
    radical and entire, in every sense.
    [1913 Webster]

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48


    Radical \Rad"i*cal\ (r[a^]d"[i^]*kal), n.
    1. (Philol.)
    (a) A primitive word; a radix, root, or simple, underived,
    uncompounded word; an etymon.
    (b) A primitive letter; a letter that belongs to the
    radix.
    [1913 Webster]

    The words we at present make use of, and
    understand only by common agreement, assume a
    new air and life in the understanding, when you
    trace them to their radicals, where you find
    every word strongly stamped with nature; full of
    energy, meaning, character, painting, and
    poetry. --Cleland.
    [1913 Webster]

    2. (Politics) One who advocates radical changes in government
    or social institutions, especially such changes as are
    intended to level class inequalities; -- opposed to
    conservative.
    [1913 Webster]

    In politics they [the Independents] were, to use the
    phrase of their own time, "Root-and-Branch men," or,
    to use the kindred phrase of our own, Radicals.
    --Macaulay.
    [1913 Webster]

    3. (Chem.)
    (a) A characteristic, essential, and fundamental
    constituent of any compound; hence, sometimes, an
    atom.
    [1913 Webster]

    As a general rule, the metallic atoms are basic
    radicals, while the nonmetallic atoms are acid
    radicals. --J. P. Cooke.
    [1913 Webster]
    (b) Specifically, a group of two or more atoms, not
    completely saturated, which are so linked that their
    union implies certain properties, and are conveniently
    regarded as playing the part of a single atom; a
    residue; -- called also a compound radical. Cf.
    Residue.
    [1913 Webster]

    4. (Alg.) A radical quantity. See under Radical, a.
    [1913 Webster]

    An indicated root of a perfect power of the degree
    indicated is not a radical but a rational quantity
    under a radical form. --Davies &
    Peck (Math.
    Dict.)
    [1913 Webster]

    5. (Anat.) A radical vessel. See under Radical, a.
    [1913 Webster]

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48


    Residue \Res"i*due\ (r?z"?-d?), n. [F. r['e]sidu, L. residuum,
    fr. residuus that is left behind, remaining, fr. residere to
    remain behind. See Reside, and cf. Residuum.]
    1. That which remains after a part is taken, separated,
    removed, or designated; remnant; remainder.
    [1913 Webster]

    The residue of them will I deliver to the sword.
    --Jer. xv. 9.
    [1913 Webster]

    If church power had then prevailed over its victims,
    not a residue of English liberty would have been
    saved. --I. Taylor.
    [1913 Webster]

    2. (Law) That part of a testeator's estate wwhich is not
    disposed of in his will by particular and special legacies
    and devises, and which remains after payment of debts and
    legacies.
    [1913 Webster]

    3. (Chem.) That which remains of a molecule after the removal
    of a portion of its constituents; hence, an atom or group
    regarded as a portion of a molecule; a moiety or
    group; -- used as nearly equivalent to radical, but in
    a more general sense.
    [1913 Webster +PJC]

    Note: The term radical is sometimes restricted to groups
    containing carbon, the term residue and moiety being
    applied to the others.
    [1913 Webster]

    4. (Theory of Numbers) Any positive or negative number that
    differs from a given number by a multiple of a given
    modulus; thus, if 7 is the modulus, and 9 the given
    number, the numbers -5, 2, 16, 23, etc., are residues.
    [1913 Webster]

    Syn: Rest; remainder; remnant; balance; residuum; remains;
    leavings; relics.
    [1913 Webster]

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48


    radical
    adj 1: (used of opinions and actions) far beyond the norm;
    "extremist political views"; "radical opinions on
    education"; "an ultra conservative" [syn: extremist,
    ultra]
    2: markedly new or introducing radical change; "a revolutionary
    discovery"; "radical political views" [syn: revolutionary]
    3: arising from or going to the root; "a radical flaw in the
    plan"
    4: of or relating to or constituting a linguistic root; "a
    radical verb form"
    5: especially of leaves; located at the base of a plant or
    stem; especially arising directly from the root or
    rootstock or a root-like stem; "basal placentation";
    "radical leaves" [syn: basal] [ant: cauline]
    n 1: (chemistry) two or more atoms bound together as a single
    unit and forming part of a molecule [syn: group, chemical
    group]
    2: an atom or group of atoms with at least one unpaired
    electron; in the body it is usually an oxygen molecule
    than has lost an electron and will stabilize itself by
    stealing an electron from a nearby molecule; "in the body
    free radicals are high-energy particles that ricochet
    wildly and damage cells" [syn: free radical]
    3: a person who has radical ideas or opinions
    4: a character conveying the lexical meaning of a logogram
    5: a sign placed in front of an expression to denote that a
    root is to be extracted [syn: radical sign]
    6: (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are
    removed; "thematic vowels are part of the stem" [syn: root,
    root word, base, stem, theme]

    WordNet (r) 2.0


    429 Moby Thesaurus words for "radical":
    Bolshevik, Bolshevist, Fabian, Gospel side, IC analysis, Jacobin,
    Kekule formula, Wobbly, ab ovo, aboriginal, absolute, accidence,
    acid, acidity, advanced, affix, affixation, agent, agitator,
    algorismic, algorithmic, aliquot, alkali, alkalinity,
    all-embracing, all-encompassing, all-inclusive, all-out,
    all-pervading, alloisomer, allomorph, anarchist, anarchistic,
    anarcho-syndicalist, anion, antacid, arrowhead, at the height,
    at the limit, atom, atomic cluster, basal, base, basement, basic,
    basilar, basis, bearing wall, bed, bedding, bedrock, beginning,
    benzene ring, biochemical, born, bottom, bound morpheme,
    branched chain, broad, broad-based, broad-minded, cantorial side,
    cardinal, cataclysmic, catastrophic, cation, central, chain,
    character, chemical, chemical element, chromoisomer, clean, clear,
    closed chain, commencement, communist, complete, compound,
    compound radical, comprehensive, conception, congenital,
    conjugation, constituent, constitutional, constitutive, consummate,
    copolymer, corrective, counterclockwise, crucial, cuneiform,
    cutting, cycle, decimal, declension, deep, deep-dyed, deep-seated,
    demotic character, derivation, determinative, difference of form,
    differential, digital, dimer, downright, drastic, dyad,
    dyed-in-the-wool, egregious, element, elemental, elementary,
    embryonic, emendatory, enclitic, entire, essential, even,
    exhaustive, exponential, extreme, extreme left-winger, extremist,
    extremistic, fanatic, fanatical, far out, figural, figurate,
    figurative, finite, floor, flooring, fond, footing, formative,
    foundation, foundational, fractional, free form, fundament,
    fundamental, furthest, generative, genesis, genetic, germinal,
    gradualistic, grammalogue, grass roots, greatest, ground, grounds,
    groundwork, gut, hardpan, head, heavy chemicals, heptad,
    heterocycle, hexad, hieratic symbol, hieroglyph, hieroglyphic,
    hieroglyphics, high polymer, hiragana, homocycle, homopolymer,
    hydracid, ideogram, ideograph, imaginary,
    immediate constituent analysis, immoderate, impair, impossible,
    in embryo, in ovo, inception, infinite, infix, infixation,
    inflection, inherent, inorganic chemical, insurgent,
    insurrectionary, insurrectionist, integral, intensive, intrinsic,
    ion, irrational, isomer, kana, katakana, larboard, lattice, left,
    left hand, left wing, left-hand, left-hand side, left-wing,
    left-wing extremist, left-winger, left-wingish, leftist,
    levorotatory, liberal, logarithmic, logogram, logograph,
    logometric, lunatic fringe, macromolecule, material, meliorist,
    melioristic, metamer, mild radical, mildly radical, militant,
    molecule, monad, monomer, morph, morpheme, morphemic analysis,
    morphemics, morphology, morphophonemics, most, natural, near,
    near side, negative, neutralizer, nigh, nihilist, nihilistic,
    nonacid, numeral, numerary, numerative, numeric, octad, odd,
    of the essence, ogham, omnibus, omnipresent, ordinal, organic,
    organic chemical, origin, original, origination, out-and-out,
    outright, oxyacid, pair, paradigm, parlor Bolshevik, parlor pink,
    pavement, pentad, perfect, pervasive, phonetic, phonetic symbol,
    pictogram, pictograph, pink, pinko, plain, plumb, polymer, port,
    port tack, portside, positive, possible, prefix, prefixation,
    pregnant, primal, primary, prime, primeval, primitive, primordial,
    principal, principle, pristine, proclitic, profound,
    progressionist, progressist, progressive, progressivist,
    protogenic, provenience, pseudoisomer, pure, rabid, radix,
    rational, reagent, rebel, reciprocal, red, reformational,
    reformative, reformatory, reformer, reformist, reformistic,
    regular, revisional, revisionist, revisory, revolutional,
    revolutionary, revolutionist, revulsionary, revulsive, ring,
    riprap, rise, rock bottom, root, rudiment, rudimentary, rune,
    sans-culotte, seat, secessionist, seminal, separatist, severe,
    sheer, shorthand, side chain, sill, simple radical, sinister,
    sinistral, sinistrocerebral, sinistrocular, sinistrogyrate,
    sinistrorse, solid ground, solid rock, source, space-lattice, stem,
    stereobate, stock, straight, straight chain, stylobate,
    submultiple, substantial, substantive, substratum, substruction,
    substructure, subversive, suffix, suffixation, sulfacid, surd,
    sweeping, syndicalist, taproot, terra firma, tetrad, theme,
    thorough, thoroughgoing, through-and-through, tolerant, too much,
    total, transcendental, transilient, triad, trimer, ubiquitous,
    ultra, ultra-ultra, ultraconservative, ultraist, ultraistic,
    unconditional, underbuilding, undercarriage, undergirding,
    underlying, underpinning, understruction, understructure,
    universal, unmitigated, unqualified, unreserved, unrestricted,
    utmost, utopian, utopist, utter, uttermost, veritable, verso,
    vital, way out, wedge, wholesale, wide, word letter,
    word-formation, wrong side, yippie, zealot

    Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0




Database powerd by Dict.org and Google define. - © Copyright Addpower.info