-ical adjectives

-ical adjectives
-ic, -ical adjectives
1. There are three main situations:
(1) cases where only an adjective ending in -ic is available (e.g. alcoholic, basic, dramatic, linguistic, patriotic, public),
(2) cases where only an adjective ending in -ical is available (e.g. chemical, practical, radical), and
(3) cases where adjectives ending in -ic and -ical are available, often with a difference in meaning (e.g. classic / classical, comic / comical, economic / economical, historic / historical) but sometimes with no difference in meaning (e.g. geographic / geographical, problematic / problematical). Pairs that represent a difference in meaning are discussed as separate entries. When there is no difference in meaning, choice is often determined by considerations of idiom and sentence rhythm. Assertions relating to regional distinctions (e.g. that -ic forms are more common in AmE) lack adequate statistical support.
2. With one exception, all these adjectives, whether they end in -ic or -ical or both, form adverbs in -ically (basically, dramatically, geometrically, practically, etc.). The exception is public, which has an adverb form publicly.

Modern English usage. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • '-ical' words — Many adjectives end in ic or ical . ◊ adjectives related to ic nouns Sometimes an adjective ending in ical is related to a noun ending in ic . She loved music and played the piano well. The majority of the finance for musical performances comes… …   Useful english dictionary

  • -ical — ► SUFFIX forming adjectives: 1) corresponding to nouns or adjectives usually ending in ic (such as comical corresponding to comic). 2) corresponding to nouns ending in y (such as pathological corresponding to pathology). DERIVATIVES ically suffix …   English terms dictionary

  • -ical — [i kəl, ə kəl] [LL icalis < icus, IC + alis, AL] suffix IC: adjectives formed with ical sometimes have special or differentiated meanings that the corresponding ic forms do not have [historical, economical] …   English World dictionary

  • -ical — suffix. 1 forming adjectives corresponding to nouns or adjectives, usu. in ic (classical; comical; farcical; musical). 2 forming adjectives corresponding to nouns in y (pathological). * * * ə̇kəl, ēk adjective suffix Etymology: Middle English,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Adjectives — ◊ GRAMMAR An adjective is a word that is used to describe someone or something or give information about them. ◊ form The form of an adjective does not change: the same form is used for singular and plural, for subject and object, and for male… …   Useful english dictionary

  • adjectives — ◊ GRAMMAR An adjective is a word that is used to describe someone or something or give information about them. ◊ form The form of an adjective does not change: the same form is used for singular and plural, for subject and object, and for male… …   Useful english dictionary

  • -ical — adjective suffix Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin icalis (as in clericalis clerical, radicalis radical) ic < symmetrical > < geological > sometimes differing from ic in that adjectives formed with ical have a wider or more transferred… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • -ical — suffix forming adjectives: 1》 corresponding to nouns or adjectives usually ending in ic (such as comical corresponding to comic). 2》 corresponding to nouns ending in y (such as pathological corresponding to pathology). Derivatives ically suffix …   English new terms dictionary

  • -ical — aff. a combination of ic and al I, used in forming adjectives from nouns (rhetorical); orig. it provided synonyms to adjectives ending in ic (poetical), though certain of these formations are now different in meaning (economical; historical). •… …   From formal English to slang

  • -ical — 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). [ME < L icalis. See IC …   Universalium

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