revolutionary

[ rev-uh-loo-shuh-ner-ee ]

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of a revolution, or a sudden, complete, or marked change:

   a revolutionary junta.

2. radically new or innovative; outside or beyond established procedure, principles, etc.:

   a revolutionary discovery.

   Synonyms: unorthodox, drastic, novel, unprecedented

3. (initial capital letter) of or relating to the American Revolution or to the period contemporaneous with it in U.S. history:

   Revolutionary heroes; Revolutionary weapons.

4. revolving.

noun

, plural rev·o·lu·tion·ar·ies.

1. a revolutionist.

Revolutionary

¹

/ ˌrɛvəˈluːʃənərɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to the conflict or period of the War of American Independence (1775–83)
2. of or relating to any of various other Revolutions, esp the Russian Revolution (1917) or the French Revolution (1789)

revolutionary

²

/ ˌrɛvəˈluːʃənərɪ /

noun

1. a person who advocates or engages in revolution

adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of a revolution
2. advocating or engaged in revolution
3. radically new or different

   a revolutionary method of making plastics

4. rotating or revolving

Derived Forms

• ˌrevoˈlutionarily, adverb

Other Words From

• revo·lution·ari·ly adverb
• revo·lution·ari·ness noun
• anti·revo·lution·ary noun plural antirevolutionaries adjective
• nonrev·o·lution·ary adjective noun plural nonrevolutionaries
• post-Rev·o·lution·ary adjective
• prerev·o·lution·ary adjective
• prorev·o·lution·ary adjective
• semi·revo·lution·ary adjective noun plural semirevolutionaries
• ultra·revo·lution·ary adjective noun plural ultrarevolutionaries
• unrev·o·lution·ary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of revolutionary¹

First recorded in 1765–75; revolution + -ary

Example Sentences

In many ways, what Reliable Robotics and XWing propose to do with unmanned flight is less revolutionary.

From Fortune

Among the most revolutionary is rethinking the need for daily visits to methadone clinics.

From Quartz

Gene editing stands out as the most revolutionary of these technologies.

From Singularity Hub 

Head coach John Harbaugh said during a preseason interview last year that his team would have a revolutionary offense in its first full season with Lamar Jackson under center, and he was right.

From FiveThirtyEight

The would-be revolutionaries seek an alternative cosmic recipe.

From Quanta Magazine

A dozen Revolutionary Guards were caught deep inside Pakistan, tracking Rigi.

From The Daily Beast

An attack last year that killed 16 Iranian soldiers was publicized as a “response to crimes of the Revolutionary Guards in Syria.”

From The Daily Beast

It is a revolutionary story, which threatens to upend the world as we know it.

From The Daily Beast

Through her haircare line, named for her grandmother, Jessie Branch, Titi Branch was revolutionary.

From The Daily Beast

The liberated soul does not cease to act, to think, to create, to instigate revolutionary flows.

From The Daily Beast

Pierre Van Cortlandt, a distinguished revolutionary patriot, died at his seat at Croton river, aged 94.

From Project Gutenberg

During the revolutionary war he was commissary-general to the Pennsylvania division, and printer to congress.

From Project Gutenberg

John Stark, a major general in the revolutionary army, died, aged 93.

From Project Gutenberg

Tories will wax eloquent on "the pink miasma of revolutionary Radicalism."

From Project Gutenberg

He was the last surviving officer of the Delaware regiment in the revolutionary army.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• contemporary
• innovative
• modern
• radical