functional
Americanadjective
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of or relating to a function or functions.
functional difficulties in the administration.
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capable of operating or functioning.
When will the ventilating system be functional again?
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having or serving a utilitarian purpose; capable of serving the purpose for which it was designed.
functional architecture; a chair that is functional as well as decorative.
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Also functionalistic (of a building or furnishing) constructed or made according to the principles of functionalism or primarily as a direct fulfillment of a material need.
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Medicine/Medical. without a known organic cause or structural change.
a functional disorder.
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pertaining to an algebraic operation.
a functional symbol.
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Linguistics. (of linguistic analysis, language teaching, etc.) concerned with the communicative role of language rather than, in addition to, or as the framework for its formal structure.
noun
adjective
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of, involving, or containing a function or functions
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practical rather than decorative; utilitarian
functional architecture
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capable of functioning; working
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med affecting a function of an organ without structural change
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psychol
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relating to the purpose or context of a behaviour
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denoting a psychosis such as schizophrenia assumed not to have a direct organic cause, like deterioration or poisoning of the brain Compare organic psychosis
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noun
Other Word Forms
- functionality noun
- functionally adverb
- hyperfunctional adjective
- hyperfunctionally adverb
- multifunctional adjective
- nonfunctional adjective
- nonfunctionally adverb
- prefunctional adjective
- semifunctional adjective
- semifunctionally adverb
- subfunctional adjective
- subfunctionally adverb
- superfunctional adjective
- unfunctional adjective
- unfunctionally adverb
Etymology
Origin of functional
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They are also interested in developing functional foods that are naturally low in methionine and cysteine.
From Science Daily
This functional equivalence is illustrated in the accompanying chart.
From MarketWatch
“It is essential to refer to official sources,” he added, noting that airports in Mexico are now operating normally and that most of the state of Jalisco remains open and functional.
From Los Angeles Times
For Christie, however, the cozy location was coldly functional.
By examining these structural and functional variations, researchers are gaining insight into how giant viruses diversified and how their interactions with host cells may have influenced the evolution of complex eukaryotic life.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
