functional

[ fuhngk-shuh-nl ]

/ ˈfʌŋk ʃə nl /

adjective

of or relating to a function or functions: functional difficulties in the administration.

capable of operating or functioning: When will the ventilating system be functional again?

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.

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.

Medicine/Medical. without a known organic cause or structural change: a functional disorder.Compare organic(def 5).

pertaining to an algebraic operation: a functional symbol.

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

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

Origin of functional

First recorded in 1625–35; function + -al¹

Related forms

func·tion·al·i·ty, nounfunc·tion·al·ly, adverbhy·per·func·tion·al, adjectivehy·per·func·tion·al·ly, adverb

mul·ti·func·tion·al, adjectivenon·func·tion·al, adjectivenon·func·tion·al·ly, adverbpre·func·tion·al, adjectivesem·i·func·tion·al, adjectivesem·i·func·tion·al·ly, adverbsub·func·tion·al, adjectivesub·func·tion·al·ly, adverbsu·per·func·tion·al, adjectiveun·func·tion·al, adjectiveun·func·tion·al·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for multifunctional

multifunctional

multifunction (ˈmʌltɪˌfʌŋkʃən)

/ (ˌmʌltɪˈfʌŋkʃənəl) /

adjective

having or able to perform many functions

functional

/ (ˈfʌŋkʃənəl) /

adjective

of, involving, or containing a function or functions

practical rather than decorative; utilitarianfunctional architecture

capable of functioning; working

med affecting a function of an organ without structural change

psychol

relating to the purpose or context of a behaviour
denoting a psychosis such as schizophrenia assumed not to have a direct organic cause, like deterioration or poisoning of the brainCompare organic psychosis

noun

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

Derived Formsfunctionally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for multifunctional