Radical Meaning
/ˈɹædɪkəl/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjFavoring fundamental change, or change at the root cause of a matter.
adjOf or pertaining to the root of a plant.
Sentence Examples
His argument is more radical than yours.
Some Blacks seek more radical solutions.
The need for radical changes in education
CEFR Practice Quiz
A ____ shift in policy abolished all old rules completely.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The new government proposed ____ reforms to the tax system that would affect every citizen.
Word Origin & History
PIE word *wréh₂ds Inherited from Middle English radical, from Latin rādīcālis (“of or pertaining to the root, having roots, radical”). Compare grassroots.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
"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 26, 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 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:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
A ____ shift in policy abolished all old rules completely.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The new government proposed ____ reforms to the tax system that would affect every citizen.