nounnounnounnounadjective
le radical
radical
Definition & meaning
Radical has several meanings:
- Fundamental or thorough: affecting the root of a problem or bringing about major change. It can also mean extreme or uncompromising.
- Political: advocating far-reaching reforms; historically, a supporter of French Radicalism.
- In mathematics: relating to a root, as in a square root.
- In chemistry: a radical, an atom or group of atoms with an unpaired electron.
- In linguistics: a stem, the core part of a word to which endings can be added.
Grammar & Word origin
As an adjective, radical has the feminine form radicale . Its usual masculine plural is radicaux , and its feminine plural is radicales .
It can also be a masculine noun: a political radical, a chemical radical, or a linguistic stem.
The word comes from Latin radicalis, derived from radix, meaning “root.”
Synonyms & antonyms
- fondamental — fundamental; emphasizes importance or underlying principles rather than dramatic change.
- extrême — extreme; emphasizes intensity or a position far from the center.
- modéré — moderate; an antonym when describing views or political positions.
- superficiel — superficial; contrasts with something that addresses a problem at its roots.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Sa décision radicale a surpris tout le monde.adjective
His radical decision surprised everyone.
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