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Fundamental vs Functional - What's the difference?

fundamental | functional |

As nouns the difference between fundamental and functional

is that fundamental is a leading or primary principle, rule, law, or article, which serves as the groundwork of a system; essential part, as, the fundamentals of linear algebra while functional is (mathematics) a function that takes a function as its argument; more precisely: a function y''=''f''(''x'') whose argument ''x varies in a space of (real valued, complex valued) functions and whose value belongs to a monodimensional space an example: the definite integration of integrable real functions in a real interval.

As adjectives the difference between fundamental and functional

is that fundamental is pertaining to the foundation or basis; serving for the foundation hence: essential, as an element, principle, or law; important; original; elementary while functional is in good working order.

fundamental

English

(Webster 1913)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A leading or primary principle, rule, law, or article, which serves as the groundwork of a system; essential part, as, the fundamentals of linear algebra.
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Pertaining to the foundation or basis; serving for the foundation. Hence: Essential, as an element, principle, or law; important; original; elementary.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
  • , volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Our banks are out of control , passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […].  Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. […]  But the scandals kept coming, […]. A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul. Instead it offers fixes and patches.}}

    Derived terms

    * fundamentalism * fundamentalist * fundamentality * fundamentally * fundamentalness * fundamental analysis

    Synonyms

    * * See also

    functional

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • In good working order.
  • Useful; serving a purpose, fulfilling a function
  • That sculpture is not merely artistic, but also functional : it can be used as a hatrack.
  • Only for functional purposes, notably in architecture
  • ''A functional construction element generally must meet higher technical but lower aesthetical requirements
  • (computing theory) Having semantics defined purely in terms of mathematical functions, without side-effects.
  • (medicine) Of a disease, such that its symptoms cannot be referred to any appreciable lesion or change of structure; opposed to organic disease, in which the organ itself is affected.
  • Synonyms

    * functioning, working * utilitarian

    Antonyms

    * non-functional * dysfunctional * organic

    Derived terms

    (Derived terms) * function * functional analysis * functional analysis diagram * functional anatomy * functional application * functional bombing * functional constraint * functional decomposition * functional design * functional diagram * functional disorder * functional electrical stimulation * functional error recovery * functional failure * functional group * functional interleaving * functional programming * functional requirement * functional residual capacity * functional specifications * functional switching circuit * functional unit * functionality * functionally

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (mathematics) A function that takes a function as its argument; More precisely: A function y''=''f''(''x'') whose argument ''x varies in a space of (real valued, complex valued) functions and whose value belongs to a monodimensional space. An example: the definite integration of integrable real functions in a real interval.
  • (mathematics, functional analysis) A scalar-valued linear function on a vector space
  • (computing) An object encapsulating a function pointer (or equivalent).