Revolutionary

//ˌɹɛvəˈluʃənɛɹi// adj, name, noun, slang

adj, name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A revolutionist; a person who revolts.

    ""The Chengtu revolutionaries were fantastically colourful in the Szechwanese manner—they costumed themselves as heroes of the stage and their energies were chiefly occupied in tying ropes across the main streets so that when Imperial officials rode by in their litters they would have to get down and crawl under, losing face."

  2. 2
    a radical supporter of political or social revolution wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to a revolution in government; tending to, or promoting, revolution

    "revolutionary war"

  2. 2
    Of or pertaining to something that portends of great change; overthrowing a standing mindset

    "a revolutionary new tool"

  3. 3
    Of or pertaining to something that revolves.
Adjective
  1. 1
    markedly new or introducing radical change wordnet
  2. 2
    advocating or engaged in revolution wordnet
  3. 3
    relating to or having the nature of a revolution wordnet
  4. 4
    of or relating to or characteristic or causing an axial or orbital turn wordnet
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    Chopin's 'Revolutionary Etude' Op. 10 no. 12. informal

Example

More examples

"The statue of the Minute Man commemorates the valiant soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War."

Etymology

Compare French révolutionnaire; equivalent to revolution + -ary.

Related phrases

More for "revolutionary"

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.