-ical

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a combination of -ic and -al¹, used in forming adjectives from nouns (rhetorical), providing synonyms to words ending in -ic (poetical), and providing an adjective with additional meanings to those in the -ic form (economical).

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of -ical

Middle English <Latin -icālis.See -ic, -al¹

Words nearby -ical

I.B.T.C.W.H., ibuprofen, Ibycus, IC, ICA, -ical, -ically, I came, I saw, I conquered, ICANN, I cannot tell a lie, ICAO

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use -ical in a sentence

And now he hears words that are known to him,—“ical-akinish” and “shiloké;” hears them repeated again and again.
The Land of Fire|Mayne Reid
Sem′i-costif′erous, half-bearing a rib; Semicrit′ical, related to a differential equation and its criticoids.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)|Various
Sem′i-solid, partially solid; Semispher′ical, having the figure of a half-sphere.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)|Various
Irenic, ī-ren′ik, adj. tending to create peace: pacific—also Iren′ical.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M)|Various

Categoremat′ic, capable of being used by itself as a term; Categor′ical, positive: absolute: without exception.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for -ical

-ical

suffix forming adjectives

a variant of -ic economical; fanatical

Derived forms of -ical

-ically, suffix forming adverbs

Word Origin for -ical

from Latin -icālis

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012