Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Biology A root or point of origin.
  • noun Mathematics The base of a system of numbers, such as 2 in the binary system and 10 in the decimal system.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In astrology, the original figure of birth, the source of all judgments and predictions.
  • noun The root of a plant: used chiefly with reference to the roots of medicinal plants or preparations from them.
  • noun Hence The primary source or origin; that from which anything springs, or in which it originates.
  • noun In etymology, a. primitive word or form from which spring other words; a radical; a root.
  • noun In mathematics, a root.
  • noun In zoöl, and anatomy, a root; a rooted or rootlike part; a radicle: as, the radix or root of a tooth; the radix of a nerve.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Philol.) A primitive word, from which spring other words; a radical; a root; an etymon.
  • noun rare, rare A number or quantity which is arbitrarily made the fundamental number of any system; a base. .
  • noun (Alg.), rare A finite expression, from which a series is derived.
  • noun (Bot.) The root of a plant.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A primitive word, from which other words spring.
  • noun biology A root
  • noun mathematics The number of distinct symbols used to represent numbers in a particular base, as 10 for decimal.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (numeration system) the positive integer that is equivalent to one in the next higher counting place

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin rādīx, root; see wrād- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin radix ("a root")

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Examples

  • Berkeley, home of supposed radical thinkers (radical from the root in Latin "radix" meaning

    East Bay Express editor@eastbayexpress.com 2010

  • Berkeley, home of supposed radical thinkers (radical from the root in Latin "radix" meaning

    East Bay Express editor@eastbayexpress.com 2010

  • STANDARD FORM A numeral in standard power-of-10 notation is written as follows: m: n  10z where the dot (.) is a period, written on the base line (not a raised dot indicating multiplication), and is called the radix point or decimal point.

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows 2009

  • True radicals are much rarer -- after all, the word derives from radix, meaning root.

    A thoughtful post (as usual) ... Frank Wilson 2006

  • The word radical derives from radix, meaning “root”.

    New policy for anti-feminist, men’s rights, and right-wing posters 2005

  • a fiew feet from an inundated Soil tho within it's limits it grows very closely. in short almost as much so as the bulbs will permit. the radix is a tumicated bulb, much the consistence Shape and appearance of the

    The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 Meriwether Lewis 1791

  • The twenty is evidently a ligature of two tens, and this in turn suggested a kind of radix, so that ninety was probably written in a way reminding one of the quatre-vingt-dix of the French.

    The Hindu-Arabic Numerals David Eugene Smith 1902

  • 'The Sulphate of Zinc' is valuable as an excitant to wounds, and promotes adhesion between divided surfaces and the 'radix'.

    The Dog William Youatt 1811

  • The large fern, rise to the hight of 3 or 4 feet, the Stem is a Common footstalk or rib which proceeds imediately from the radix which is

    The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 Meriwether Lewis 1791

  • a common footstalk or rib which proceeds immediately from the radix which is somewhat flat on two sides about the size of

    Original journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-1806 1904

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