functional

[ fuhngk-shuh-nl ]

adjective

1. of or relating to a function or functions:

   functional difficulties in the administration.

2. capable of operating or functioning:

   When will the ventilating system be functional again?

3. 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.

4. Also func·tion·al·is·tic []. (of a building or furnishing) constructed or made according to the principles of functionalism or primarily as a direct fulfillment of a material need.
5. Medicine/Medical. without a known organic cause or structural change: Compare organic ( def 5 ).

   a functional disorder.

6. pertaining to an algebraic operation:

   a functional symbol.

7. 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

1. Mathematics. a function that has a domain whose elements are functions, sets, or the like, and that assumes numerical values.

functional

/ ˈfʌŋkʃənəl /

adjective

1. of, involving, or containing a function or functions
2. practical rather than decorative; utilitarian

   functional architecture

3. capable of functioning; working
4. med affecting a function of an organ without structural change
5. psychol
   1. relating to the purpose or context of a behaviour
   2. denoting a psychosis such as schizophrenia assumed not to have a direct organic cause, like deterioration or poisoning of the brain Compare organic psychosis

noun

1. maths a function whose domain is a set of functions and whose range is a set of functions or a set of numbers

Derived Forms

• ˈfunctionally, adverb

Other Words From

• func·tion·al·i·ty [fuhngk-sh, uh, -, nal, -i-tee], noun
• func·tion·al·ly adverb
• hy·per·func·tion·al adjective
• hy·per·func·tion·al·ly adverb
• mul·ti·func·tion·al adjective
• non·func·tion·al adjective
• non·func·tion·al·ly adverb
• pre·func·tion·al adjective
• sem·i·func·tion·al adjective
• sem·i·func·tion·al·ly adverb
• sub·func·tion·al adjective
• sub·func·tion·al·ly adverb
• su·per·func·tion·al adjective
• un·func·tion·al adjective
• un·func·tion·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of functional¹

First recorded in 1625–35; function + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Slice it in half, and each piece becomes a complete, fully functional anemone.

From Science Daily

The platform can determine which models most closely recapitulate the functional changes seen in AD and identify the most relevant pathways for drug discovery.

From Science Daily

Young and colleagues found that such protein slow-downs lead to measurable reductions in the functional output of the proteins.

From Science Daily

Hyperpolarized Xe pulmonary MRI, structural and functional brain MRI, pulmonary function tests and cognitive tests were acquired.

From Science Daily

"We asked colleagues to use density functional theory to look into why water matters when it comes to the stability of nickel."

From Science Daily

Related Words

• practical
• useful
• utilitarian