radial

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

Did you know?

Picture the sun shining brightly on a cloudless day. Its rays stretch in every direction along radiant radii so far-reaching they radiate daylight. It's pretty rad, and it's a cinch to describe in English thanks to the expansive influence of the Latin noun radius, meaning "ray." As you might have guessed, radius is an ancestor of the English words ray, radiant, radiate, and of course radius. It's also the sunny source of radial, which joined our language in the 1500s as an adjective meaning "arranged or having parts arranged like rays." Radial has bourgeoned in meaning over the centuries, adopting unique applications across many fields including medicine, engineering, and astronomy.

Examples of radial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It was found that CFAP91 acts as a scaffold, a key component for assembling the radial spoke 3 (RS3) complex in the flagellum. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025

Tires are naturally composite, particularly since the advent of radials, which Michelin patented in 1946 and started to produce commercially in 1951, helping the legendary Lancia Aurelia B20 to a class win at Le Mans. —James Morris, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025

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

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing radial

• radial cleavage
• radial engine
• radial keratotomy
• radial symmetry

Rhymes for radial

• estradiol
• oestradiol
• interradial

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Kids Definition

radial

1 of 2 adjective

ra·​di·​al ˈrād-ē-əl 

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

-ē-ə-lē 

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 

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

-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

radial

2 of 2 noun

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