English Online Dictionary. What means practical? What does practical mean?
English
Etymology
From Middle English practical, practicale, praktycall, from Medieval Latin practicālis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈpɹæktɪkəl/
- Hyphenation: prac‧ti‧cal
Adjective
practical (comparative more practical, superlative most practical)
- Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis.
- Being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation; able to be put to use.
- Of a person, having skills or knowledge that are practical.
- (theater, not comparable) Of a prop: having some degree of functionality, rather than being a mere imitation.
- (film) Light fixtures used for set lighting and seen in the frame of a shot as part of the scenery.
Usage notes
Example of use contrasted with practicable:
- "While others might agree that it was practical to rewrite the entire section, it was not truly practicable given other considerations."
Antonyms
- (antonym(s) of “based on practice or action”): theoretical
- (antonym(s) of “likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation”): impractical
- (antonym(s) of “of a person”): impractical
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
Noun
practical (plural practicals)
- (British) A part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
- (theater) A prop that has some degree of functionality, rather than being a mere imitation.
- (film) A light fixture used for set lighting and seen in the frame of a shot as part of the scenery.
- Laboratory experiment, test or investigation
Translations
Further reading
- “practical”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “practical”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.