IRRATIONAL


Meaning of IRRATIONAL in English

I. i-ˈra-sh(ə-)nəl, ˌi(r)- adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin irrationalis, from in- + rationalis rational

Date: 14th century

: not rational: as

a.

(1) : not endowed with reason or understanding

(2) : lacking usual or normal mental clarity or coherence

b. : not governed by or according to reason

irrational fears

c. Greek & Latin prosody

(1) of a syllable : having a quantity other than that required by the meter

(2) of a foot : containing such a syllable

d.

(1) : being an irrational number

an irrational root of an equation

(2) : having a numerical value that is an irrational number

a length that is irrational

• ir·ra·tio·nal·i·ty -ˌra-shə-ˈna-lə-tē noun

• ir·ra·tio·nal·ly -ˈra-sh(ə-)nə-lē adverb

II. noun

Date: 1646

1. : an irrational being

2. : irrational number

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.