Radical in Different Languages
Discover 'Radical' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'radical' has had a fascinating evolution, starting as a mathematical term and expanding to encompass revolutionary ideas and movements. Its significance goes beyond technical definitions, as it represents the idea of transformation and pushing boundaries. This cultural importance has made 'radical' a word of interest for many, curious about its translations in different languages.
Did you know that 'radical' comes from the Latin word 'radix,' meaning 'root'? This historical context highlights the deep, foundational change associated with the term. As a global citizen, understanding the nuances of 'radical' in various languages can enrich your cultural knowledge and communication skills.
For example, in Spanish, 'radical' translates to 'radical' but can also mean 'extreme' or 'fundamental.' In French, 'radical' becomes 'radical' or 'root,' while in German, it's 'radikal,' emphasizing the original Latin root. In Mandarin Chinese, 'radical' is 'root,' represented as '根' (gēn).
Radical
Radical in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | radikaal | ||
| Apart from meaning "radical," "radikaal" can also mean "radish" in Afrikaans. | |||
| Amharic | አክራሪ | ||
| In Amharic, the word "አክራሪ" can also refer to a political activist or an extremist. | |||
| Hausa | m | ||
| Hausa has 24 consonants including ⟨m⟩, which can also mean "male" when not in the initial position. | |||
| Igbo | radikal | ||
| In Igbo, the word "radikal" can also mean "a person who is very stubborn or opinionated." | |||
| Malagasy | mahery fihetsika | ||
| In botany, it also means 'rooting'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kwakukulu | ||
| Kwakukulu also means 'to uproot something'. | |||
| Shona | zvakanyanya | ||
| ZVAKANYANYA derives from the word zvake "thing" or "issue" hence it means "of the same issue or thing." | |||
| Somali | xagjir ah | ||
| The word "xagjir ah" (radical) also has the meaning of "fundamentalist" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | e feteletseng | ||
| E feteletseng is the diminutive form of 'feteletsi', which itself is a relative form of the verb etsa ('to make or do'). | |||
| Swahili | kali | ||
| The word "kali" in Swahili can also mean "severe" or "hard". | |||
| Xhosa | ngokugqibeleleyo | ||
| The word 'ngokugqibeleleyo' can also mean 'completely' or 'utterly' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | yori | ||
| The word 'yori' in Yoruba can also refer to a 'secret' or 'mystery'. | |||
| Zulu | kakhulu | ||
| "Kakhulu" is derived from the verb "kakha," meaning "to be or become bitter or sour," and figuratively, "to be angry or upset." | |||
| Bambara | radical (radikal) ye | ||
| Ewe | radical | ||
| Kinyarwanda | bikabije | ||
| Lingala | radical | ||
| Luganda | radical | ||
| Sepedi | radical | ||
| Twi (Akan) | radical | ||
Radical in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | أصولي | ||
| The Arabic word "أصولي" (radical) can also mean "fundamentalist" or "traditionalist" in religious contexts. | |||
| Hebrew | קיצוני | ||
| The Hebrew word "קיצוני" (radical) also means "extreme" or "situated at the end". | |||
| Pashto | رادیکال | ||
| The Pashto word "رادیکال" can also mean "base", "root", "essence", or "origin". | |||
| Arabic | أصولي | ||
| The Arabic word "أصولي" (radical) can also mean "fundamentalist" or "traditionalist" in religious contexts. | |||
Radical in Western European Languages
| Albanian | radikal | ||
| In Albanian, the word "radikal" can also refer to "basic" or "fundamental". | |||
| Basque | erradikala | ||
| The Basque word "erradikala" has a similar meaning to the English word "radical", but also has the alternate meaning of "root" or "foundation". | |||
| Catalan | radical | ||
| In Catalan, "radical" can also mean "root" or "fundamental principle". | |||
| Croatian | radikal | ||
| Radikal in Croatian can also mean 'fiery' or 'ardent'. | |||
| Danish | radikal | ||
| The Danish word 'radikal' comes from the Latin word 'radix', meaning 'root'. | |||
| Dutch | radicaal | ||
| In Dutch, 'radicaal' can also mean 'root'. In fact, it stems from the Latin word 'radix', which means 'root'. | |||
| English | radical | ||
| The word 'radical' has roots in Latin and Greek, with meanings ranging from 'root' to 'fundamental' and 'extreme'. | |||
| French | radical | ||
| The term | |||
| Frisian | radikaal | ||
| The Frisian word “radikaal” is derived from the Latin word “radix”, meaning “root”, and shares the same root as the English word “eradicate”. | |||
| Galician | radical | ||
| In Galician, "radical" can also mean "root", "origin", or "source". | |||
| German | radikale | ||
| Radikale refers to a radical (in chemistry) or to a mathematical radical (for example a square root). | |||
| Icelandic | róttæk | ||
| In Icelandic, "róttæk" derives from the phrase "rótum taka," meaning "to take root" or "to be deeply entrenched." | |||
| Irish | radacach | ||
| The word "radacach" in Irish comes from the Latin word "radix", meaning "root". | |||
| Italian | radicale | ||
| In Italian, "radicale" can also mean "root", "origin", or "essential part". | |||
| Luxembourgish | radikal | ||
| In Luxembourgish, the word “radikal” can also refer to the traditional blue apron tied around the waist that is usually worn with local folk costumes. | |||
| Maltese | radikali | ||
| The word "radikali" in Maltese can also mean "fundamental" or "basic". | |||
| Norwegian | radikal | ||
| In Norwegian, "radikal" also means "wheel spoke" and comes from the Latin word "radius", meaning "ray". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | radical | ||
| Em Português, o radical "radical" também significa "fundamental", "básico" ou "essencial" | |||
| Scots Gaelic | radaigeach | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "radaigeach" derives from the Irish "radai" meaning "a reckoning", and has also been used to refer to "an outlaw" or "a vagabond". | |||
| Spanish | radical | ||
| The Spanish word "radical" can also mean `root` or `beginning`. | |||
| Swedish | radikal | ||
| In Swedish, the word "radikal" also has the alternate meaning of "direct" or "straightforward". | |||
| Welsh | radical | ||
| The Welsh word 'radical' comes from the Latin 'radix', meaning 'root' and can also refer to a 'foundation' or 'basis'. | |||
Radical in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | радыкальны | ||
| Bosnian | radikalan | ||
| Bosnian word "radikalan" originally comes from Arab word "radikal" which means "root". | |||
| Bulgarian | радикален | ||
| In Bulgarian, the word "радикален" also refers to a mathematical radical, a geometric radius, or a root in chemistry. | |||
| Czech | radikální | ||
| In Czech, "radikální" can also mean "dramatic, fundamental, thorough". | |||
| Estonian | radikaalne | ||
| "Radikaalne" is an Estonian derivative of the Latin word "radix," meaning "root," and refers to the fundamental and essential nature of something, not necessarily its extremism. | |||
| Finnish | radikaali | ||
| The word "radikaali" in Finnish also means "vegetable" or "root vegetables", cognate with "radish". | |||
| Hungarian | radikális | ||
| The word "radikális" comes from the Latin word "radix", meaning "root". | |||
| Latvian | radikāls | ||
| “Radikāls” (in chemistry) also has the alternate spelling and meaning “radicals” (a group of atoms); this usage of the term “radikal” originates from German, not Latin. | |||
| Lithuanian | radikalus | ||
| The Lithuanian word "radikalus" comes from Latin "radix" which means "root". | |||
| Macedonian | радикални | ||
| The word "радикални" ("radical") in Macedonian also means ""fundamental" or "basic." | |||
| Polish | rodnik | ||
| The Polish word "rodnik" can also refer to a natural spring. | |||
| Romanian | radical | ||
| In Romanian, the word "radical" is also used to mean "root" or "origin". | |||
| Russian | радикальный | ||
| The Russian word "радикальный" can also mean "basic" or "fundamental". | |||
| Serbian | радикалан | ||
| The word "radical" (радикалан) in Serbian can also refer to a mathematician who deals with equations and roots. | |||
| Slovak | radikálne | ||
| The word "radikálne" can also mean "drastic" or "extreme" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | radikalna | ||
| The word 'radikalna' also means 'thorough' or 'fundamental' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | радикальний | ||
| The Ukrainian word "радикальний" can also mean "fundamental" or "thorough". | |||
Radical in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | র্যাডিক্যাল | ||
| র্যাডিক্যাল শব্দটি ল্যাটিন শব্দ 'রেডিক্স' থেকে এসেছে যার অর্থ শিকড়। | |||
| Gujarati | આમૂલ | ||
| The word 'આમૂલ' (radical) in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word 'आमूल' (root), which means 'to the root' or 'basic' | |||
| Hindi | उग्र | ||
| The word "उग्र" (radical) in Hindi has its roots in Sanskrit, where it originally meant "fierce" or "violent". | |||
| Kannada | ಆಮೂಲಾಗ್ರ | ||
| The word "ಆಮೂಲಾಗ್ರ" (āmulagara) in Kannada literally means "from the root" indicating thoroughness or fundamental change. | |||
| Malayalam | സമൂലമായ | ||
| "സമൂലമായ" in Malayalam may also mean 'pertaining to or affecting the root', 'thorough', or 'complete'. | |||
| Marathi | संपूर्ण | ||
| The Marathi word "संपूर्ण" (sampoorn) literally means "complete" or "whole", and can also refer to the philosophical concept of "radical" or "fundamental". | |||
| Nepali | कट्टरपन्थी | ||
| The Nepali word कट्टरपन्थी (radical) originates from the Sanskrit word "katar," meaning "extreme" or "severe." | |||
| Punjabi | ਰੈਡੀਕਲ | ||
| In Punjabi, the word "ਰੈਡੀਕਲ" can also refer to a traditional medical treatment involving the use of herbs and roots. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රැඩිකල් | ||
| Tamil | தீவிரமான | ||
| Telugu | రాడికల్ | ||
| The word "రాడికల్" can also mean "fundamental" or "basic" in Telugu, highlighting its broader semantic range beyond its mathematical or political connotations. | |||
| Urdu | بنیاد پرست | ||
| The word "بنیاد پرست" ("radical") in Urdu originally meant "fundamentalist" or "orthodox", but has taken on a more negative connotation in recent times. | |||
Radical in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 激进 | ||
| "激进"源于拉丁语radix，意为根或基础，暗示事物或思想的根本性或彻底性。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 激進 | ||
| While "激進" in Chinese can mean "radical" in English, it can also mean "progressive" in a more general sense. | |||
| Japanese | ラジカル | ||
| The Japanese word "ラジカル" also refers to a group of elements in chemistry that have unpaired electrons, known as free radicals. | |||
| Korean | 근본적인 | ||
| The Sino-Korean root of "근본적인" means "root" or "source", and the word can also mean "fundamental" or "basic". | |||
| Mongolian | радикал | ||
| The word "радикал" in Mongolian can mean either "a primitive word" or "a part of a speech." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အစွန်းရောက် | ||
Radical in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | radikal | ||
| The Indonesian word "radikal" also means "thorough" or "complete". | |||
| Javanese | radikal | ||
| The Javanese word "radikal" also means "root" or "source". | |||
| Khmer | រ៉ាឌីកាល់ | ||
| Lao | ຮາກ | ||
| In Lao, 'ຮາກ' can also mean the roots of a tree or the source of something. | |||
| Malay | radikal | ||
| The Malay word "radikal", derived from Arabic, also means "root" or "origin" in addition to "radical" in English. | |||
| Thai | รุนแรง | ||
| Thai word "รุนแรง" comes from the Sanskrit's "रुण" which means "to break". | |||
| Vietnamese | căn bản | ||
| The Sino-Vietnamese word "căn bản" can also mean "fundamental" or "basic" in addition to "radical". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | radikal | ||
Radical in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | radikal | ||
| The word "radikal" in Azerbaijani can also mean a "radish". | |||
| Kazakh | радикалды | ||
| In Kazakh, "радикалды" is an alteration of Russian "радикальный" which means fundamental, basic, radical, drastic, extreme, and root. | |||
| Kyrgyz | радикалдуу | ||
| Tajik | радикалӣ | ||
| Turkmen | radikal | ||
| Uzbek | radikal | ||
| In Uzbek, the word "radikal" can also mean "fundamental", "thorough", or "extreme". | |||
| Uyghur | رادىكال | ||
Radical in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | radical | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word 'radical' ('kīhāpai') also means 'backbone' or 'source'. | |||
| Maori | tuwhena | ||
| Tuwhena has alternative meanings, including "to twist" and "to be rebellious". | |||
| Samoan | le malamalama | ||
| It also can be used to refer to something or somebody that is "cool," "neat" and "hip." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | radikal | ||
| The Tagalog word "radikal" has its roots in the Spanish word "radical", ultimately derived from the Latin "radix" meaning "root". | |||
Radical in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | radical ukhamawa | ||
| Guarani | radical rehegua | ||
Radical in International Languages
| Esperanto | radikala | ||
| The word 'radikala' in Esperanto can also mean 'thorough' or 'fundamental'. | |||
| Latin | radicitus | ||
| In Latin, 'radicitus' refers not only to 'radical' but also to 'fundamentally', 'completely', or 'from the root'. | |||
Radical in Others Languages
| Greek | ριζικό | ||
| The word `ριζικό` (rizikó) in Greek can also refer to one's destiny or fate, possibly arising from the ancient Greek belief that life's course is determined by forces beyond human control. | |||
| Hmong | radical | ||
| In Hmong, "radical" can mean "root" or "origin". | |||
| Kurdish | bingehîn | ||
| The word bingehîn is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *gwʰen-, meaning 'to strike, to kill'. | |||
| Turkish | radikal | ||
| "Radikal" means both "radical" and "extremist" in Turkish, and was used by the Islamist politician Necmettin Erbakan as the name for his political party, the Refah Party, which he referred to by the abbreviation RP (pronounced "refah" meaning "welfare" but also a homonym of "RP" or "radical party" meaning "radical party") and later by his Islamist-nationalist successors Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Ahmet Davutoğlu as the name of a Turkish daily newspaper | |||
| Xhosa | ngokugqibeleleyo | ||
| The word 'ngokugqibeleleyo' can also mean 'completely' or 'utterly' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | ראַדיקאַל | ||
| The Yiddish word "ראַדיקאַל" (radical) also means "a small, fine thread" or "a bit of something" in the sense of "a tad" or "a smidgen". | |||
| Zulu | kakhulu | ||
| "Kakhulu" is derived from the verb "kakha," meaning "to be or become bitter or sour," and figuratively, "to be angry or upset." | |||
| Assamese | ৰেডিকেল | ||
| Aymara | radical ukhamawa | ||
| Bhojpuri | कट्टरपंथी बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ރެޑިކަލް އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | कट्टरपंथी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | radikal | ||
| Guarani | radical rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | radikal nga | ||
| Krio | radikal wan | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕادیکاڵ | ||
| Maithili | कट्टरपंथी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯔꯦꯗꯤꯀꯦꯜ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | radical a ni | ||
| Oromo | hundee kan qabu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମ radical ଳିକ | ||
| Quechua | radical nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | कट्टरपंथी | ||
| Tatar | радикаль | ||
| Tigrinya | ሱር በተኻዊ ምዃኑ’ዩ። | ||
| Tsonga | radical | ||