radical

/ˈrædɪkəl/
noun
  1. A person who supports extreme or thorough political or social change.
    • The debate between moderates and radicals grew heated.
    • In his youth, he was considered a radical by his conservative parents.
    • The radicals called for a complete overhaul of the system.
  2. In chemistry, an atom or group of atoms that has at least one unpaired electron and is highly reactive.
    • The reaction produces a short-lived radical intermediate.
    • Antioxidants help neutralize harmful radicals in the body.
    • Free radicals can damage cells and contribute to aging.
  3. In mathematics, the root of a number, especially a square root.
    • Simplify the expression by removing the radical from the denominator.
    • In algebra class, we learned how to solve equations with radicals.
    • The radical of 16 is 4.
adjective
  1. Very different from the usual or traditional; extreme or thorough.
    • The company made a radical change to its business model.
    • Her hairstyle was a radical departure from her usual look.
    • The new policy represents a radical shift in how the school handles discipline.
  2. Relating to the basic or most important part of something; fundamental.
    • The discovery led to a radical new understanding of the disease.
    • There is a radical difference between their two approaches.
    • We need a radical solution to the problem, not just a quick fix.
  3. Supporting or relating to extreme political or social change.
    • He was known as a radical activist in the 1960s.
    • The group held radical views on economic reform.
    • The newspaper criticized the government's radical proposals.
What does "radical" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean