What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Purpose vs Functional - What's the difference?

purpose | functional |

As nouns the difference between purpose and functional

is that purpose is an object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal while functional is a function that takes a function as its argument; More precisely: A function y=f(x) whose argument x varies in a space of (real valued, complex valued) functions and whose value belongs to a monodimensional space. An example: the definite integration of integrable real functions in a real interval.

As a verb purpose

is have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.

As an adjective functional is

in good working order.

purpose

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • An object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author= Ed Pilkington
    • , volume=188, issue=26, page=6, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= ‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told , passage=In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.}}
  • A result that is desired; an intention.
  • The act of intending to do something; resolution; determination.
  • * 2013 , Phil McNulty, "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23830980]", BBC Sport , 1 September 2013:
    • United began with more purpose in the early phase of the second half and Liverpool were grateful for Glen Johnson's crucial block from Young's goalbound shot.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Sarah Glaz
    • , title= Ode to Prime Numbers , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.}}
  • The subject of discourse; the point at issue.
    • (Spenser)
  • The reason for which something is done, or the reason it is done in a particular way.
    • The purpose of turning off the lights overnight is to save energy.
  • (obsolete) Instance; example.
    • (rfquotek, L'Estrange)
    Synonyms
    * (target ): aim, goal, object, target * (intention ): aim, plan, intention * (determination ): determination, intention, resolution * (subject of discourse ): matter, subject, topic * (reason for doing something ): reason * See also
    Derived terms
    (terms derived from purpose) * all-purpose * common purpose * cross-purpose * fit for purpose * for all intents and purposes * game with a purpose * general-purpose * infinitive of purpose * multi-purpose * metapurpose * purpose-built * purposeful * purposeless * purpose-like * purpose loan * purposely * purpose statement * on purpose

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Verb

    (purpos)
  • Have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.
  • * Macaulay
    • I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time which is within the memory of men still living.
  • (passive ) Designed for some purpose.
  • (obsolete) To have a purpose or intention; to discourse.
    • (Spenser)
    Derived terms
    * purposed * purposer * purposive * on purpose
    Synonyms
    * (have set as one's purpose ): aim, intend, mean, plan, set out * (designed for some purpose ): intended

    References

    * * *

    Statistics

    *

    functional

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • In good working order.
  • Useful; serving a purpose, fulfilling a function
    • That sculpture is not merely artistic, but also functional : it can be used as a hatrack.
  • Only for functional purposes, notably in architecture
    • ''A functional construction element generally must meet higher technical but lower aesthetical requirements
  • (computing theory) Having semantics defined purely in terms of mathematical functions, without side-effects.
  • (medicine) Of a disease, such that its symptoms cannot be referred to any appreciable lesion or change of structure; opposed to organic disease, in which the organ itself is affected.

    • Synonyms

    * functioning, working * utilitarian

    Antonyms

    * non-functional * dysfunctional * organic

    Derived terms

    (Derived terms) * function * functional analysis * functional analysis diagram * functional anatomy * functional application * functional bombing * functional constraint * functional decomposition * functional design * functional diagram * functional disorder * functional electrical stimulation * functional error recovery * functional failure * functional group * functional interleaving * functional programming * functional requirement * functional residual capacity * functional specifications * functional switching circuit * functional unit * functionality * functionally

    Related terms

    * functionary

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (mathematics) A function that takes a function as its argument; More precisely: A function y''=''f''(''x'') whose argument ''x varies in a space of (real valued, complex valued) functions and whose value belongs to a monodimensional space. An example: the definite integration of integrable real functions in a real interval.
  • (mathematics, functional analysis) A scalar-valued linear function on a vector space
  • (computing) An object encapsulating a function pointer (or equivalent).

    • External links

    * * *