radial

1 of 2

adjective

ra·​di·​al ˈrā-dē-əl How to pronounce radial (audio)
1
: arranged or having parts arranged like rays
2
a
: relating to, placed like, or moving along a radius
b
: characterized by divergence from a center
3
: of, relating to, or adjacent to a bodily radius
4
: developing uniformly around a central axis
radially adverb

radial

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a radial part
b
: ray
2
: a body part (such as an artery) lying near or following the course of the radius
3
: a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the beads are laid at approximately 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread

called also radial-ply tire, radial tire

Examples of radial in a Sentence

Adjective the radial form of a starfish
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Kleinert Kutz Hand Center has a rich history of leading the medical field in hand care, having completed the first successful hand transplants, toe to hand transfers, total distal radial joint replacement, and more. Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 1 Feb. 2024 Tomatoes with radial cracking should be harvested and used as soon as possible, as the fruit will likely rot if left on the vine. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 Dec. 2023 The top half of each image shows gas temperature, while the lower half shows the radial velocity. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2024 Unlike bilaterians such as salamanders (and humans), which have bilateral symmetry (meaning a symmetrical right and left side), cnidarians have radial body symmetry, with body sections that extend out from the middle and are symmetrical all around. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 3 Jan. 2024 The split follows one of two patterns: radial cracking and concentric cracking. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 Dec. 2023 Yet, oddly, sea stars start their lives as larvae with bilateral symmetry, before changing into their radial adult form. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Nov. 2023 The retro wood radial pattern on black metal legs suits modern farmhouse and vintage aesthetics that can be styled in any room. Theresa Johnson, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2023 Solar panels integrate radial fans to cool the underside of voltaic cells. IEEE Spectrum, 20 Sep. 2023
Noun
All-weather radials and fine dining have little in common, after all. Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024 The top speed is governed at 130 mph and limited by the H rating of the Goodyear radials. Steven Cole Smith, Car and Driver, 2 Sep. 2023 Although these mud-and-snow radials ride fairly quietly and promise decent performance in varied weather conditions, the unimpressive 0.75-g skidpad number and our high-speed cornering experience suggest that high-performance rubber would substantially improve all the numbers. Barry Winfield, Car and Driver, 16 Aug. 2023 Of course, a proper drag car needs proper drag radials. Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 20 Mar. 2023 The new R-2180 Twin Hornet, made by Pratt & Whitney, is a fourteen-cylinder twin-row radial with a displacement of 2,180 cubic inches. Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 3 June 2021 His space suit was pumped up like an all-season radial. Outside Online, 23 June 2021 Instead only the most distal ones are homologous to digit bones; the proximal radials are homologous to the wrist bones and the long bones of the palm. John A. Long, Scientific American, 20 May 2020 Enter the panda’s pseudo-thumb, which is also composed of an enlarged radial sesamoid and cartilaginous extension, and is controlled by the same three muscles as in the aye-aye. National Geographic, 21 Oct. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'radial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Medieval Latin radialis, from Latin radius ray

First Known Use

Adjective

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of radial was in 1570

Dictionary Entries Near radial

Cite this Entry

“Radial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radial. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

radial

1 of 2 adjective
ra·​di·​al ˈrād-ē-əl How to pronounce radial (audio)
1
: arranged or having parts arranged like rays around a common center
the radial form of a starfish
2
: relating to, placed like, or moving along a bodily radius (as the bone of the forearm)
radially adverb

radial

2 of 2 noun
1
: a radial part
2
: a tire in which the ply cords are at right angles to the centerline of the tread

called also radial tire

Medical Definition

radial

1 of 2 adjective
ra·​di·​al ˈrād-ē-əl How to pronounce radial (audio)
1
: arranged or having parts arranged like rays
2
: of, relating to, or situated near the radius or the thumb side of the hand or forearm
the radial aspect of the hand
3
: developing uniformly around a central axis
radial cleavage of an egg
radially adverb

radial

2 of 2 noun
: a body part (as an artery) lying near or following the course of the radius

More from Merriam-Webster on radial

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