Radicalised

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The transformation in which individuals or groups come to embrace extreme political or social beliefs often results in a newfound commitment to major change
2. The shift where personal or collective ideologies become more extreme typically signifies a dedication to ambitious political or social reform
3. Having undergone a process where one's views become strongly aligned with radical political or social ideas

Etymology: "Radicalised" is the past tense of "radicalise", which English formed by adding the suffix "-ise" to the adjective "radical". The adjective comes from the Latin "radix", meaning root, so something radical goes to the root of a matter. The "-ise" ending traces back a long way: it descends from Ancient Greek verbs ending in "-izein", passed into Late Latin as "-izare", reached Middle French as "-iser", and then entered Middle English. The verb's meaning has followed the political sense of the adjective. To radicalise a person or group is to push their beliefs toward more extreme positions, though the process can be carried out in pursuit of ambitious reform as well as in support of violence. The same root gives us "eradicate", which literally means to pull something out by its roots.