The spelling of the word "radical" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols. The first syllable is pronounced as /ˈræd/ with the short vowel sound /æ/ and a voiced alveolar fricative /d/. The second syllable is pronounced as /ɪkəl/ with a short vowel sound /ɪ/, a voiceless velar plosive /k/, and a schwa sound /əl/. Together, the word is pronounced as /ˈrædɪkəl/. The spelling of the word "radical" may vary depending on its usage, but its pronunciation remains the same.
Radical, as an adjective, refers to something that is extreme, fundamental, or departing drastically from traditional or accepted beliefs, practices, or values. It often implies a marked departure from the usual or established way of thinking or acting.
In a political or ideological context, radical describes a person, group, or action that advocates for significant and far-reaching changes to the prevailing social, economic, or political order. Radicals are often characterized by their desire to enact progressive and transformative reforms that challenge existing power structures and norms.
As a noun, radical refers to a person who holds or supports such extreme beliefs or advocates for revolutionary action. It can also denote a member of a political party, movement, or organization that promotes radical principles and policies.
Beyond its political connotations, radical can also describe something that is extreme in nature or degree, such as radical changes, radical improvements, or radical innovations. In mathematics and science, radical refers to a mathematical symbol (√) indicating the square root or the nth root of a quantity.
Overall, the term radical conveys the idea of embracing or seeking significant, thorough, and often fundamental changes that challenge and depart from existing conventions, practices, or systems.
1. In chemistry, a group of atoms passing as such from one compound to another, acting thus like a single atom. 2. The haptophore group of an antibody. 3. Relating to the root or cause, thorough; as a radical operation, one which removes every trace of possibly diseased tissue, or makes recurrence impossible.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
• Pert. to or arising from the root; fundamental; implanted by nature; constitutional; original; not derived or compounded; primitive; in bot., proceeding from a point close to the summit or crown of the root, applied to leaves close to the ground clustered at the base of a flower-stalk; complete; thorough.
• A root; in chem., the base or distinguishing part of a compound, whether itself a simple or compound; a primitive or uncompounded word or letter; a democrat or extreme politician.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "radical" comes from the Latin word "radix", which means "root". It entered the English language in the late 14th century and initially referred to something from or relating to the root or origin of something. Over time, its meaning evolved to include ideas or actions that aim for fundamental or revolutionary change, often questioning or challenging the existing norms or systems.