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Definition of "rational" []

  • Having or exercising the ability to reason. (adjective)
  • Of sound mind; sane. (adjective)
  • Consistent with or based on reason; logical: rational behavior. See Synonyms at logical. (adjective)
  • Mathematics Capable of being expressed as a quotient of integers. (adjective)
  • Mathematics A rational number. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "rational" in a sentence
  • "For example, in ˜Socrates is rational,™ ˜rational™ is taken from the form of Socrates, his humanity."
  • "Arab _Ar'ab_, not _arab_ arid _ar'id_ asphalt _asfalt_, not _fawlt_ bade _bad_ catch not _ketch_ defalcate _defal'kate_, not _fawl_ dilletante _dilletan'te_ forbade _forbad_ granary _granary_ program _pro'gram_, not _grum_ rapine _rap'in_ rational _rational_ sacrament _sacrament_"
  • "Here the term rational 'apparently points to or expresses a property that distinguishes human beings from other animals."