radical Definition
radi·cal (rad′i kəl)
adjective
- of or from the root or roots; going to the foundation or source of something; fundamental; basic a radical principle
- extreme; thorough a radical change in one's life
- favoring fundamental or extreme change; specif., favoring basic change in the social or economic structure
- designating or of any of various modern political parties, esp. in Europe, ranging from moderate to conservative in program
- Bot. of or coming from the root
- Math. having to do with the root or roots of a number or quantity
Etymology: ME < LL radicalis < L radix (gen. radicis), root
noun
- a basic or root part of something
- a fundamental
- a person holding radical views, esp. one favoring fundamental social or economic change
- a member or adherent of a Radical party
- Chem. a group of two or more atoms that acts as a single atom and goes through a reaction unchanged, or is replaced by a single atom: it is normally incapable of separate existence
- Math.
- the indicated root of a quantity or quantities, shown by an expression written under the radical sign
- radical sign
radical Related Forms
radical Synonyms
radical
modif.
Fundamental
basic, original, primitive, underlying; see fundamental 1, organic.Advocating extreme change
extremist, revolutionary, fanatical, militant, rabid, insurgent, iconoclastic, advanced, forward, insurrectionary, progressive, revisionist, abolitionist, leftist, communistic, left-wing, uncompromising, intransigent, recalcitrant, mutinous, rebellious, recusant, subversive, seditious, riotous, lawless, ultraconservative, racist, white supremacist, insubordinate, anarchistic, nihilistic, Bolshevistic, Communist, socialist, liberal, immoderate, heretical, freethinking, avant-garde, Jacobinic, ultraist, ultraistic, ultra, red*, pink*; see also fanatical, rebellious 2, revolutionary 1.Antonyms
conservative*, reformist, gradualist. Thoroughgoing
extreme, drastic, thorough, complete; see comprehensive, extreme 2. See syn. study at liberal.
radical Synonyms
radical
n.
radical Usage Examples
Converse of object
- scavenge: Smoking Ginkgo's ability to scavenge free radicals means that it will make a substantial difference to the potential damage smoking may present.
- generate: Vitamin C also has antioxidant properties, defending against damaging free radicals generated during the inflammatory response, sepsis or stress.
- fight: As plants evolved, they developed antioxidants to fight free radicals, Heber says.
Adjective modifier
- free: Indeed, free radicals have an impact on all of our lives.
- harmful: These mechanisms involve special enzymes that turn the harmful radicals into innocuous water and oxygen.
- Islamic: Islamic radicals, like Hitler, cultivate support by nurturing grievances against others.
- left-wing: According to left-wing radicals, the collective equality of citizenship of the Nation-People provided the antidote to the selfish privileges of the private property-owners.
- dangerous: Scientists at the University of Ulster have found that unaccustomed, aerobic exercise releases dangerous free radicals.
- religious: He therefore fell out with political radicals such as the Levelers while retaining the support of most religious radicals.
Modifies a noun
- overhaul: And three weeks later we set out how we would deliver the radical overhaul to the regulatory system we promised.
- prostatectomy: From all the options available to me, I selected radical prostatectomy, which was carried out a week later at the London Clinic.
- reform: The radical reforms outlined in the 1947 Education Act came into being on 1 April 1948.
- departure: Musically this was a radical departure from the previous line-up.
- rethink: Food hygiene training in the UK: time for a radical rethink?
- transformation: In between these two landmark years German society underwent a radical transformation.
Modifying Another Word
- truly: There is a truly radical change involved in true mission.
- fairly: This has to be treated straight away, in a fairly radical way.
Noun used with modifier
- hydroxyl: Produced by smoldering fires, carbon monoxide reduces concentrations of reactive atmospheric chemicals called hydroxyl radicals that remove methane from the air.
- methyl: It would be formed from combining two methyl radicals: H 3 C.
- oxygen: It is thought that oxygen radicals cause abnormalities in the developing retinal blood supply.
Browse dictionary entries near radical
- ‹ radiator
- ‹ radiation sickness
- ‹ radiation
- ‹ radiate
- ‹ radiant heating
- ‹ radiant flux
- ‹ radiant energy
- ‹ radiant
- ‹ radiance
- ‹ radian
- radical sign ›
- radicalism ›
- radicalize ›
- radically ›
- radicand ›
- radicchio ›
- radices ›
- radicle ›
- radii ›
- radio ›

