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.

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

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