different between working vs practical

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?w??k??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?w?k??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)k??
• Hyphenation: work?ing

Etymology 1

From Middle English werking, werkynge, warkynge, worchinge, from Old English wyr?ung (“working, work”), verbal noun of wyr?an (“to work”), equivalent to work +? -ing. Cognate with Scots wirking, warking, Dutch werking, German Wirkung.

Noun

working (countable and uncountable, plural workings)

1. (usually in the plural) Operation; action.
2. Method of operation.
3. (arithmetic) The incidental or subsidiary calculations performed in solving an overall problem.

4. Fermentation.
5. (of bodies of water) Becoming full of a vegetable substance.
6. A place where work is carried on.

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English workyng, wirkynge, worchinge, werchinge, workinde, wirkand, worchende, wurchende, from Old English wyr?ende, from Proto-Germanic *wurkijandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *wurkijan? (“to work”), equivalent to work +? -ing. Compare Scots wirkand, werkand, warkand (“working”), Dutch werkend (“working, acting”), German wirkend (“acting, working”).

Verb

working

1. present participle of work

Adjective

working (not comparable)

1. That is or are functioning.

2. That suffices but requires additional work.

3. In paid employment.

4. Of or relating to employment.

5. Enough to allow one to use something.

   a working knowledge of computers

6. Used in real life; practical.

Synonyms

• (functioning):: functioning; up (mainly used of computers):
• (that suffices but requires further work):: draft, provisional, temporary
• (in paid employment):: employed, in employment
• (of or relating to employment):: work
• (enough to allow one to use something):: basic

Antonyms

• (functioning):: broken, broken-down, down (mainly used of computers):

Derived terms

Hyponyms

• known-working

Translations

Related terms

• work

References

• working in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From practic +? -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?ækt?k?l/
• Hyphenation: prac?ti?cal

Noun

practical (plural practicals)

1. (Britain) A part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
2. (theater) A prop that has some degree of functionality, rather than being a mere imitation.

Translations

Adjective

practical (comparative more practical, superlative most practical)

1. Based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis

2. Being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation; able to be put to use

3. Of a person, having skills or knowledge that are practical

4. (theater, not comparable) Of a prop: having some degree of functionality, rather than being a mere imitation.

Antonyms

• (based on practice or action): theoretical
• (likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation): impractical
• (of a person): impractical

Derived terms

• practicality
• practically

Related terms

• practicable
• practice
• practise
• practitioner
• pragmatic

Translations

Further reading

• practical in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• practical in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.