Meanings
comparative more radial · superlative most radial
- Arranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to, a common centre.
The spokes on most modern bicycle wheels are tangential to the hub rather than radial.
1 more example
A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place. Applying a force tangential to the knob is essentially equivalent to applying one perpendicular to a radial line defining the lever.
2012 March 28, Henry Petroski, “Opening Doors”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, pages 112–3 - geometryOf, or relating to a radius (line joining to a geometric centre).
What is the relationship between arc length and radial length?
- anatomyOf, or relating to the radius bone.
- biologyOf, or relating to the radius (vein), and/or the wing areas next to it.
- biologyDeveloping uniformly on all sides.
- Having reinforcing cords placed in parallel across the tyre at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, especially as contrasted with cross-ply; see also radial tyre.
plural radials
- An item in a radial configuration, such as a spoke of a wheel.
- One of a set of earthing wires arranged radially around the base of a wireless antenna.
- A radial tire / radial tyre.
Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.
1976, Paddy Chayefsky, Network, spoken by Howard Beele (Peter Finch)
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivearranged like rays or radii; radiating from a common center
nounpneumatic tire that has radial-ply casing
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinradius
- Medieval Latinradiālis“radial”
- Englishradial
From Medieval Latin radiālis (“radial”), from Latin radius. By surface analysis, radius + -al.
More words from Medieval Latin, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian радиален, радиален
- радиален (radialen)arranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- радиален (radialen)moving along a radius
- радиусов (radiusov)of, or relating to the radius bone
- радиална гума (radialna guma)tire
Catalan radial, radial
- radialarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- radialof, or relating to the radius bone
Czech paprsčitý, paprskovitý
- paprsčitýarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- paprskovitýarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- radiálníarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
Finnish säteittäinen, säde-
- säteittäinenarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- säde-arranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- säteittäis-arranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- säteis-arranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- sädemäinenarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- radiaaliarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- radiaalinenarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- värttinäluu-of, or relating to the radius bone
- vyörengastire
French radial
- radialarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
German strahlenförmig, strahlig
- strahlenförmigarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- strahligarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- radialarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
Greek ακτινοειδής
- ακτινοειδής (aktinoeidís)arranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
Hindi त्रिज्यीय
- त्रिज्यीय (trijyīya)arranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
Portuguese radial, radial
- radialarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- radialmoving along a radius
Romanian radial
- radialarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
Russian радиальный, лучевой
- радиальный (radialʹnyj)arranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- лучевой (lučevoj)arranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
- радиальный (radialʹnyj)moving along a radius
- лучевой (lučevoj)of, or relating to the radius bone
Spanish radial
- radialarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
Swedish radiell
- radiellarranged like rays that radiate from, or converge to a common center
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
radial. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/radial
“radial.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/radial. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “radial,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/radial.
Source: radial on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.