radicality

[ rad-i-kal-i-tee ]

noun

, plural rad·i·cal·i·ties.

1. the quality of being fundamental, drastic, far-reaching, etc.:

   Because of the radicality of the surgery there is a higher risk of complications.

   It is difficult to overstate the radicality of the change I saw in him after a summer at camp.

2. a tendency toward extremism in political ideology, religion, etc.; radicalism:

   A lot of people were put off by the radicality of his so-called documentary, and they called it propaganda.

3. something, such as a concept, practice, character trait, etc., that is fundamental, extreme, or very different from what is generally accepted:

   The essay explores some of the remarkable radicalities and ironies in the work of the famous filmmaker.

Word History and Origins

Origin of radicality¹

First recorded in 1815–25; radical ( def ) + -ity ( def )