What is the Latin word for practical?

The usual Latin words for “practical” are āctīvus, administrātīvus, ūtor; also ūtilitās. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“practical” in Latin

āctīvusactive; practical; active (of a verb)administrātīvusadministrative; relating to administration.ūtorto use, make use of, employ; to enjoy, indulge in, take advantage of; to experience, undergo, encounter ūtilitāsusefulness, utility; expediency; advantage

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

practical

in agendo positus, activus, administrativus (opposed to contemplativus [θεωρητικός]: of arts, sciences, etc., that relate to practice; post-Augustan; Vid: Quint., 2, 18, in. and fin.; Sen., Ep., 95, 10): usu peritus; ipso usu perdoctus; ad cujus scientiam usus accedit; alicujus rei usum habens (accustomed to practice; as we say, a practical man). Practical knowledge, usus: to have a practical knowledge of anything, aliquid usu cognitum habere; aliquid usu didicisse; alicujus rei usum habere: practical utility, utilitas; usus popularis et civilis (purposes of practical utility, in daily life): a practical doctrine, praeceptum quod ad institutionem vitae communis spectat: I am a practical teacher, ita tracto litteras, ut eas ad usum transferam: practical men, qui ad usum artes (or omnia) transferunt: to make a practical application of anything, aliquid ad vitae usum conferre: aliquid ad vitam communem adducere; aliquid ita tractare, ut id ad usum transferam: aliquid in usu habere.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for practical?: The usual Latin words for “practical” are āctīvus, administrātīvus, ūtor; also ūtilitās. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.