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Radical vs Superficial - What's the difference?

radical | superficial |

In lang=en terms the difference between radical and superficial

is that radical is relating to a radix or mathematical root while superficial is two-dimensional; drawn on a flat surface.

As adjectives the difference between radical and superficial

is that radical is favoring fundamental change, or change at the root cause of a matter while superficial is shallow, lacking substance.

As nouns the difference between radical and superficial

is that radical is a member of the most progressive wing of the Liberal Party; someone favouring social reform (but generally stopping short of socialism) while superficial is a surface detail.

radical

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Favoring fundamental change, or change at the root cause of a matter.
  • His beliefs are radical .
  • (botany, not comparable) Pertaining to a root (of a plant).
  • Pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something.
  • * Burke
  • The most determined exertions of that authority, against them, only showed their radical independence.
  • Thoroughgoing.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-01
  • , author=Donald Worster , title=A Drier and Hotter Future , volume=100, issue=1, page=70 , magazine= 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.
  • (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.
  • a radical''' quantity; a '''radical sign
  • Excellent; awesome.
  • That was a radical jump!

    Derived terms

    * radicalness * radicality * radicalize * radically * radical empiricism * radical feminism * radical left * radical pluralism * radical reform * radical right * radical Islam * radical vinegar

    Synonyms

    * (pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) fundamental

    Antonyms

    * (pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something) ignorable, trivial

    Coordinate terms

    * (produced with the root of the tongue) labial, coronal, dorsal, laryngeal

    Noun

    (en noun) (wikipedia radical)
  • 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.
  • Derived terms

    * free radical * radical sign

    Anagrams

    * ----

    superficial

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Shallow, lacking substance.
  • At face value.
  • *
  • Secondly, I continue to base my concepts on intensive study of a limited suite of collections, rather than superficial study of every packet that comes to hand.
  • Of or pertaining to the surface.
  • Being near the surface.
  • (rare) Two-dimensional; drawn on a flat surface.
  • Synonyms

    * (of or pertaining to the surface) surficial

    Antonyms

    * in-depth * thorough * (lacking substance) substantive

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (chiefly in plural) A surface detail.
  • He always concentrates on the superficials and fails to see the real issue.