Matical

Matical is an adjective that has historically appeared as a shortened or partial form related to the word mathematical. In contemporary English, it is not treated as a standard standalone word in major dictionaries and is generally considered archaic or dialectal when encountered outside of a morphological discussion.

Etymology and form

Matical derives from the same root as mathematical, with the English suffix -ical forming adjectives. The full form mathematical comes from Latin mathematica, itself from Greek mathēmatikē, relating to the science of learning. Matical, as a stem or truncation, appears primarily in discussions of word formation rather than as a widely used term in its own right.

Usage

Today, matical is rarely used by itself. When it is encountered, it tends to be in historical texts, linguistic analyses of morphemes, or as a theoretical reference to the stem before the -ical suffix. Most modern writing prefers the complete word mathematical to convey relatedness to mathematics. In some contexts, writers discuss the -matical suffix as part of a larger explanation of how English forms adjectives from nouns or other roots.

See also

mathematical, mathematics, arithmetical, geometrical, suffix -ical, etymology of mathematical.