Rational Meaning
/ˈɹæʃ(ə)nəl/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjCapable of reasoning.
adjCapable of reasoning., Behaving according to some partial order of preferences.
Sentence Examples
From an objective viewpoint, his argument was far from rational.
Parents aren't rational because love isn't rational.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
Her decision to save money was ____ because she wanted to buy a house.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She took a ____ approach to the problem, setting aside her emotions and focusing on the facts.
Word Origin & History
From Old French rationel, rational, from Latin rationalis (“of or belonging to reason, rational, reasonable; having a ratio”), from ratio (“reason; calculation”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The utility of valid arguments is a monument to our frailty: to the fact that we are not completely rational beings."
— 2001, Mark Sainsbury, chapter 1, in Logical Forms — An Introduction to Philosophical Logic, 2nd edition, Blackwell Publishing, →ISBN, §7, page 32:
"The [Isaac] Newton that emerges from the [unpublished] manuscripts is far from the popular image of a rational practitioner of cold and pure reason. The architect of modern science was himself not very modern. He was obsessed with alchemy."
— 2014 June 21, “Magician’s brain”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8892:
"The Rationale of iudgement alſo thou shalt mke with embrodered worke of diuers colours, according to the workmanship of the Ephod of gold, hyacinth, and purple, and ſcarlet twiſe died, and twiſted ſilke."
— 1609, The Holie Bible, […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Doway: Laurence Kellam, […], →OCLC, Exodus 28:15, page 234:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Her decision to save money was ____ because she wanted to buy a house.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She took a ____ approach to the problem, setting aside her emotions and focusing on the facts.