radical sign

noun

, Mathematics.

1. the symbol √ or  indicating extraction of a root of the quantity that follows it, as √25=5 or .

radical sign

noun

1. the symbol √ placed before a number or quantity to indicate the extraction of a root, esp a square root. The value of a higher root is indicated by a raised digit in front of the symbol, as in ³√

Word History and Origins

Origin of radical sign¹

First recorded in 1660–70

Example Sentences

Transformation of radicals Fraction under the radical sign.Reduction to an entire surd.Changing to surds of different order.Reduction to simplest form.

From Project Gutenberg

There are certain "radical signs" and a number of "primitive" signs; characters are made by combining both, and are written downwards.

From Project Gutenberg