pragmatical

English

Etymology

From Late Latin pragmaticus +‎ -al. By surface analysis, pragmatic +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɹæɡˈmætɪkəl/

Adjective

pragmatical (comparative more pragmatical, superlative most pragmatical)

1. Synonym of pragmatic (“practical”)
   • 1645 March 14 (Gregorian calendar), John Milton, Tetrachordon: Expositions upon the Foure Chief Places in Scripture, which Treat of Mariage, or Nullities in Mariage. […], London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 9:

     VVe cannot therefore alvvayes be contemplative, or pragmaticall abroad, but have need of ſom delightfull intermiſſions, vvherin the enlarg'd ſoul may leav off a vvhile her ſevere ſchooling; […]

   • 1846, Julius Charles Hare, “Note L. p. 35.”, in The Mission of the Comforter and Other Sermons with Notes, volume 2 (The Notes), London: John W. Parker, […], page 548:

     […] it has seemed to me that the low, pragmatical, earthly view of the Gospel manifested therein,—as also in his elegant treatise De Veritate Religionis Christianae,—affords a strong confirmation to that report.

2. Synonym of pragmatic (“officious, meddlesome”)
   • 1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “The Conference between Don Diego Dismallo, and John Bull”, in An Appendix to John Bull Still in His Senses: Or, Law is a Bottomless-Pit. […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Morphew, […], →OCLC, page 21:

     [H]e grevv ſo pragmatical, that he took upon him the Government of my vvhole Family: I could never order any thing, vvithin or vvithout doors, but he muſt be alvvays giving his Counſel, forſooth: […]

   • 1826, [Walter Scott], chapter XII, in Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volume II, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, →OCLC, pages 305–306:

     [H]e had been condemned already to many uncomfortable lurking-places, and more disagreeable disguises, as well as to long and difficult journeys, during which, between pragmatical officers of justice belonging to the prevailing party, and parties of soldiers whose officers usually took on them to act upon their own warrant, risk of discovery had more than once become very imminent.

3. (law) Relating to affairs of state.

Derived terms

• pragmatically