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 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.

5. Medicine/Medical.,  without a known organic cause or structural change.

   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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of functional¹

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

Example Sentences

To understand the functional impact of this exposure, the team studied human brain organoids, which serve as simplified, lab-grown models of early brain development.

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Kat takes cannabis after being diagnosed with functional neurological disorder, but the drug can also be prescribed for things like PTSD, OCD, anxiety and depression.

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“I’m hopeful we can return to a functional newsroom soon,” she added.

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To overcome this, the team developed an algorithm capable of producing functional structures with built-in disorder.

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Sometimes a stock that is in the dumps deserves to be, and betting on it is the functional equivalent of catching a falling knife.

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Related Words

• practical 
• useful 
• utilitarian