Meanings
adjectivepractical (comparative more practical, superlative most practical)
comparative more practical · superlative most practical
- Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis.
Modern engineering applies science to practical problems.
1 more example
Jack didn't get an engineering degree, but has practical knowledge of metalworking.
- Being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation; able to be put to use.
Jack's knowledge has the practical benefit of giving us useful prototype parts.
1 more example
Recruits will be taught in-depth electrical and mechanical engineering as well as gaining practical experience in rail maintenance.
2021 February 24, “Rail industry marks National Apprenticeship Week”, in RAIL, number 925, page 17 - Of a person, having skills or knowledge that are practical.
All in all, Jack's a very practical chap.
- not comparableentertainmentOf a prop: having some degree of functionality, rather than being a mere imitation.
- broadcastingLight fixtures used for set lighting and seen in the frame of a shot as part of the scenery.
Practical lighting can help sell the illusion that the film is a real situation.
nounpractical (plural practicals)
plural practicals
- entertainmentA prop that has some degree of functionality, rather than being a mere imitation.
Practicals are used onstage as they would be used in real life. If the sound cue is to be from a radio or television, give qualities to the recording that will maintain the sense of the medium.
2013, Deena Kaye, James LeBrecht, Sound and Music for the Theatre: The Art & Technique of Design - broadcastingA light fixture used for set lighting and seen in the frame of a shot as part of the scenery.
A naturalistic set is normally dressed with all the furnishings and props to be found in a real room. This includes electric light fittings which, when they actually light, are known as practicals.
2001, Francis Reid, The Stage Lighting Handbook, page 124
Synonyms & antonyms
antonym(s) of “based on practice or action”
Opposite
antonym(s) of “likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation”
Opposite
adjectiveconcerned with actual use or practice
Opposite
adjectiveguided by practical experience and observation rather than theory
adjectivehaving or put to a practical purpose or use
Similar
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Medieval Latinpracticālis
- Middle Englishpractical
- Englishpractical
From Middle English practical, practicale, praktycall, from Medieval Latin practicālis.
More words from Middle English, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans prakties, prakties
- praktiesbased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- praktiesbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- praktieshaving skills or knowledge that are practical
Arabic تَطْبِيقِيّ, عَمَلِيّ
- تَطْبِيقِيّ (taṭbīqiyy)based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- عَمَلِيّ (ʕamaliyy)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
Bulgarian практичен, използваем
- практичен (praktičen)based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- използваем (izpolzvaem)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- целесъобразен (celesăobrazen)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- практичен (praktičen)having skills or knowledge that are practical
- практика (praktika)a part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
Catalan pràctic
- pràcticbased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
Chinese Mandarin 使用的, 實用 /实用
- 使用的 (shǐyòng de)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- 實用 /实用 (shíyòng)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
Czech praktický, praktický
- praktickýbased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- praktickýhaving skills or knowledge that are practical
Dutch praktisch, praktisch
- praktischbased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- praktischbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- praktischhaving skills or knowledge that are practical
Esperanto praktika
- praktikabased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
Finnish käytännön-, käytännöllinen
- käytännön-based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- käytännöllinenbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- käytännönläheinenbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- käytännöllinenhaving skills or knowledge that are practical
French pratique
- pratiquebased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
German praktisch, praktisch
- praktischbased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- praktischbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- praktischhaving skills or knowledge that are practical
- Praktikuma part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
Greek πρακτικός, πρακτικός
- πρακτικός (praktikós)based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- πρακτικός (praktikós)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- χρήσιμος (chrísimos)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- πρακτικός (praktikós)having skills or knowledge that are practical
Hebrew מעשי, ישים
- מעשיbased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- ישיםbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- בר־ישוםbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
Hindi प्रायोगिक, प्रायोगिक
- प्रायोगिक (prāyogik)based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- प्रायोगिक (prāyogik)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- क्रियात्मक (kriyātmak)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- व्यवहारिक (vyavhārik)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- प्रायोगिक (prāyogik)a part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
Hungarian gyakorlati, praktikus
- gyakorlatibased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- praktikusbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- célszerűbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- hasznosbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- ügyesbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- gyakorlatiashaving skills or knowledge that are practical
- élelmeshaving skills or knowledge that are practical
- gyakorlata part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
- szemináriuma part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
- gyakorlati kurzusa part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
- gyakorlati vizsgaa part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
Indonesian praktis, praktikum
- praktisbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- praktikuma part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
Italian pratico, concreto
- praticobased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- concretobeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- realebeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- funzionalehaving skills or knowledge that are practical
Japanese 実践的な, 実用的な
- 実践的な (jissen-teki na)based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- 実用的な (jitsuyou-teki na)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- 実務経験のある (jitsumu-keiken no aru)having skills or knowledge that are practical
- 経験豊かな (keiken yutaka na)having skills or knowledge that are practical
Korean 실질적인, 현실적인
- 실질적인 (siljiljeogin)based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- 현실적인 (hyeonsiljeogin)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
Norwegian Bokmål praktisk
- praktiskhaving skills or knowledge that are practical
Persian پراتیک
- پراتیک (prâtik)based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
Polish praktyczny, praktyczny
- praktycznybased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- praktycznybeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
Portuguese prático
- práticobased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
Romanian practic
- practicbased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
Russian практи́ческий, практи́ческий
- практи́ческий (praktíčeskij)based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- практи́ческий (praktíčeskij)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- практи́чный (praktíčnyj)having skills or knowledge that are practical
Spanish práctico
- prácticobased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
Swedish praktisk, praktisk
- praktiskbased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- praktiskbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- praktiskhaving skills or knowledge that are practical
Tagalog panggamitin, maisasagawa
- panggamitinbased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- maisasagawabeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- maisasagawahaving skills or knowledge that are practical
Ukrainian практи́чний, практи́чний
- практи́чний (praktýčnyj)based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- практи́чний (praktýčnyj)being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
Welsh ymarferol, ymarferol
- ymarferolbased on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
- ymarferolbeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- dichonadwybeing likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation
- ymarferolhaving skills or knowledge that are practical
Yiddish פּראַקטיש
- פּראַקטיש (praktish)based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
Cite this entry
APA
practical. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/practical
MLA
“practical.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/practical. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “practical,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/practical.
Source: practical on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.