Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Late Latin
Origin: practicus, from Greek praktikos, from prassein 'to do'

practical

1 adjective
     
prac‧ti‧cal1 S3 W2
1

real

relating to real situations and events rather than ideas, emotions etc [↪ theoretical]:
Candidates should have training and practical experience in basic electronics.
the practical problems of old age
They provide financial and practical help for disabled students.
a combination of theoretical and practical training
They haven't thought about the practical consequences of the new regulations.
In practical terms, this means spending more time with each student.
2

effective

practical plans, methods etc are likely to succeed or be effective in a situation [≠ impractical]:
It doesn't sound like a very practical solution.
a practical way of achieving greater efficiency
Unfortunately, there's no practical alternative to driving.
a practical guide to buying and selling a house
3

clear thinking

a practical person is good at dealing with problems and making decisions based on what is possible and what will really work [≠ impractical]:
She's a very practical person.
I was very shocked, but tried to be practical and think what to do.
4

suitable

useful or suitable for a particular purpose or situation [≠ impractical ]:
Skirts aren't very practical in my kind of work.
5

using your hands

good at repairing or making things:
I'm not very practical - I can't even change a light bulb.
6

for/to all practical purposes

used to say what the real effect of a situation is:
The time you spend on it doesn't, for all practical purposes, affect the final result.
7

practical certainty/disaster/sell-out etc

something that is almost certain, almost a disaster etc:
Sampras looks a practical certainty to win Wimbledon this year.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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