reductional
|re-duc-tion-al|
🇺🇸
/rɪˈdʌkʃənəl/
🇬🇧
/rɪˈdʌkʃ(ə)nəl/
relating to reduction; making simpler or smaller
Etymology
'reductional' originates from the noun 'reduction' plus the adjectival suffix '-al'. 'Reduction' ultimately comes from Latin, specifically the word 'reductio' (from the verb 'reducere'), where 're-' meant 'back' and 'ducere' meant 'to lead'.
'reductional' formed in Modern English by adding the suffix '-al' to the Middle English/Old French-derived noun 'reduction' (which came from Latin 'reductio' via Old French 'reduction'), yielding an adjective meaning 'relating to reduction.'
Initially, the Latin root related to 'leading back' or 'bringing back' (reducere); over time it shifted to senses of 'making smaller' or 'simplifying' in English, and 'reductional' now means 'relating to the process or concept of reduction.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or characterized by reduction; involving making something smaller, simpler, or less complex.
The research adopted a reductional approach to model the complex system.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 2
in philosophy or explanation, attempting to explain phenomena by reducing them to more basic parts or processes (i.e., reductionist in method).
Critics argued that the theory was too reductional to account for emergent properties.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/21 03:44