functionalize

F4U1N1C3T1I1O1N1A1L1I1Z10E1

verb

To provide (something) with a function.

OriginEnglish functional ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? ← Middle French function →
Scrabble 27
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Meanings

verbfunctionalize (third-person singular simple present functionalizes, present participle functionalizing, simple past and past participle functionalized)

present singular third person functionalizes · participle present functionalizing · participle past functionalized · past functionalized

  1. transitiveTo provide (something) with a function.
  2. transitivechemistryTo add a functional group to (a compound).
  3. transitivecomputingTo adapt into a form that uses functional programming.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰewg-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰunégti
  3. Proto-Italic*fungōr
  4. Latinfungor
  5. Latinfūnctiō
  6. Old Frenchfonction
  7. Middle Frenchfunction
  8. Englishfunction
  9. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  11. Englishfunctional
  12. Englishfunctionalize

From functional + -ize.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

functionalize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/functionalize

MLA

“functionalize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/functionalize. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “functionalize,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/functionalize.

Source: functionalize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.