# revolutionary

/ˌɹɛvəˈɫuʃəˌnɛɹi/ (US) · /ɹˌɛvəlˈuːʃənəɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/revolutionary
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. political change

adjective · CEFR B2

connected with a political revolution or wanting to change a government by force.

For teachers: relating to, involving, or promoting a political revolution.

- The revolutionary leaders met in secret to plan the overthrow of the government.
- The revolutionary movement gained momentum as the working class became increasingly disillusioned with the monarch's refusal to implement basic reforms.

### 2. new and different

adjective · CEFR B2

completely new and having a great effect on how something is done.

For teachers: involving or causing a complete or dramatic change in a system, method, or mindset.

- The invention of the smartphone was a revolutionary moment in human history.
- The scientist proposed a revolutionary theory that challenged the fundamental laws of physics as they were understood at the time.

### 3. revolving

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

moving in a circle around a central point.

For teachers: relating to or engaged in the act of revolving or circular motion.

- The revolutionary motion of the planets around the sun takes different amounts of time.
- The engineer calculated the revolutionary speed of the turbine to ensure it would not exceed the structural limits of the casing.

### 4. a person

noun · CEFR B2

someone who starts or takes part in a political revolution.

For teachers: a person who advocates or engages in political revolution.

- He was a famous revolutionary who spent years fighting for his country's freedom.
- History remembers her as a dedicated revolutionary who refused to compromise her ideals even when faced with life imprisonment.

### 5. Chopin's Etude

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a famous and difficult piece of piano music by Frédéric Chopin.

For teachers: a common informal reference to Chopin's Étude Op. 10, No. 12 in C minor.

- She practiced the Revolutionary for hours to master the fast left-hand part.
- The pianist chose to close the first half of the recital with the Revolutionary, showcasing his technical command of the etude's stormy passages.

Usage: Usually capitalized as 'the Revolutionary' or 'the Revolutionary Etude'.

## Examples

- The new smartphone had a revolutionary design.
- The scientist's revolutionary theory changed how we understand the universe and replaced centuries of old ideas.
- While many activists called for revolutionary changes to the legal system, the government preferred a more gradual approach to reform to maintain social stability.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.