Fundamental vs Radical - What's the difference?
fundamental | radical |
A leading or primary principle, rule, law, or article, which serves as the groundwork of a system; essential part, as, the fundamentals of linear algebra.
Pertaining to the foundation or basis; serving for the foundation. Hence: Essential, as an element, principle, or law; important; original; elementary.
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
, volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= Favoring fundamental change, or change at the root cause of a matter.
(botany, not comparable) Pertaining to a root (of a plant).
Pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something.
* Burke
Thoroughgoing.
* {{quote-magazine, date=2012-01
, author=Donald Worster
, title=A Drier and Hotter Future
, volume=100, issue=1, page=70
, magazine=
(linguistics, not comparable) Of or pertaining to the root of a word.
(linguistics, not comparable, of a sound) Produced using the root of the tongue.
(chemistry, not comparable) Involving free radicals.
(math) Relating to a radix or mathematical root.
Excellent; awesome.
A member of the most progressive wing of the Liberal Party; someone favouring social reform (but generally stopping short of socialism).
A member of an influential, centrist political party favouring moderate social reform, a republican constitution, and secular politics.
A person with radical opinions.
(arithmetic) A root (of a number or quantity).
(linguistics) In logographic writing systems as the Chinese writing system, the portion of a character (if any) that provides an indication of its meaning, as opposed to phonetic .
(linguistics) In Semitic languages, any one of the set of consonants (typically three) that make up a root.
(chemistry) A group of atoms, joined by covalent bonds, that take part in reactions as a single unit.
(organic chemistry) A free radical.
Radical is a synonym of fundamental.
As nouns the difference between fundamental and radical
is that fundamental is a leading or primary principle, rule, law, or article, which serves as the groundwork of a system; essential part, as, the fundamentals of linear algebra while radical is a member of the most progressive wing of the Liberal Party; someone favouring social reform (but generally stopping short of socialism).As adjectives the difference between fundamental and radical
is that fundamental is pertaining to the foundation or basis; serving for the foundation. Hence: Essential, as an element, principle, or law; important; original; elementary while radical is favoring fundamental change, or change at the root cause of a matter.fundamental
English
(Webster 1913)Noun
(en noun)Adjective
(en adjective)Our banks are out of control, passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. […] But the scandals kept coming, […]. A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul. Instead it offers fixes and patches.}}
Derived terms
* fundamentalism * fundamentalist * fundamentality * fundamentally * fundamentalness * fundamental analysisSynonyms
* * See alsoExternal links
* * ----radical
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- His beliefs are radical .
- The most determined exertions of that authority, against them, only showed their radical independence.
citation, passage=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.}}
- The spread of the cancer required radical surgery, and the entire organ was removed.
- a radical''' quantity; a '''radical sign
- That was a radical jump!