Etymograph

English

practical

Practical comes from Middle English practical, from Medieval Latin practicālis.

  1. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500practicālis1‘practical’
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500practical1‘practical’
  3. Englishearliest quotation 2001practical1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English practical
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2001, Francis Reid, The Stage Lighting Handbook: “A naturalistic set is normally dressed with all the…”.

Lineage

  1. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500practicālisWiktionary, English practical‘practical’
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500practicalWiktionary, English practical‘practical’
  3. Englishearliest quotation 2001practicalWiktionary, English practical. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2001, Francis Reid, The Stage Lighting Handbook: “A naturalistic set is normally dressed with all the…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per-

first, before, support, far, per, report, further, private, press, fear, opportunity, price, port, pre, primary, prior, prime, appreciate, afford, ford, pregnant, prize, precious, privilege, ferry, interpretation, parade, praise, fare, porch, pardon, pirate, prix, primitive, peril, interpreter, afar, pore, 158 more

Today it means

adj Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “practical”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Medieval Latin practicālis / practical

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