irradiate

[ verb ih-rey-dee-eyt; adjective ih-rey-dee-it, -eyt ]

/ verb ɪˈreɪ diˌeɪt; adjective ɪˈreɪ di ɪt, -ˌeɪt /

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See synonyms for: irradiate / irradiated on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), ir·ra·di·at·ed, ir·ra·di·at·ing.

to shed rays of light upon; illuminate.

to illumine intellectually or spiritually.

to brighten as if with light.

to radiate (light, illumination, etc.).

to heat with radiant energy.

to treat by exposure to radiation, as of ultraviolet light.

to expose to radiation.

verb (used without object), ir·ra·di·at·ed, ir·ra·di·at·ing.

Archaic.

to emit rays; shine.
to become radiant.

adjective

irradiated; bright.

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Origin of irradiate

1595–1605; <Latin irradiātus, past participle of irradiāre to shine upon. See ir-¹, radiate

OTHER WORDS FROM irradiate

ir·ra·di·at·ing·ly, adverbir·ra·di·a·tive, adjectiveir·ra·di·a·tor, nounnon·ir·ra·di·at·ed, adjective

un·ir·ra·di·at·ed, adjectiveun·ir·ra·di·a·tive, adjective

Words nearby irradiate

Iroquois League, IRQ, Irra, irradiance, irradiant, irradiate, irradiation, irradicable, irrational, irrationalism, irrationality

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use irradiate in a sentence

Liu and his colleagues irradiated a solution containing PFBS and sulfite for an entire day, only to find that less than half of the pollutant in the solution had broken down.
Just 3 ingredients can quickly destroy widely used PFAS ‘forever chemicals’|Nikk Ogasa|June 3, 2022|Science News
The duo then chemically analyzed the irradiated oil to see how much was transformed into dissolved organic carbon.
Sunlight helps clean up oil spills in the ocean more than previously thought|Carolyn Gramling|February 16, 2022|Science News
The Martian surface has long been an irradiated desert unsuitable for life.
Iceland’s Eruptions Reveal the Hot History of Mars|Robin George Andrews|April 6, 2021|Quanta Magazine
Suddenly his whole heart seemed to irradiate light and color and music and sweet smelling things.
Molly Make-Believe|Eleanor Hallowell Abbott

Thus will the perfections of the Deity for ever blaze in the flames of perdition, and irradiate the temple of glory!
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. I|Francis Augustus Cox
The shadows of the morning having disappeared, the brightness of eternal noon will irradiate our existence.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. I|Francis Augustus Cox
Then a carefully veiled kindliness of heart seemed to bubble to the surface and irradiate his face.
The Terms of Surrender|Louis Tracy
Deeper than tears, these irradiate the tophets with their glad heavens.
Tablets|Amos Bronson Alcott

British Dictionary definitions for irradiate

irradiate

/ (ɪˈreɪdɪˌeɪt) /

verb

(tr) physics to subject to or treat with light or other electromagnetic radiation or with beams of particles

(tr) to expose (food) to electromagnetic radiation to kill bacteria and retard deterioration

(tr) to make clear or bright intellectually or spiritually; illumine

a less common word for radiate (def. 1)

(intr) obsolete to become radiant

Derived forms of irradiate

irradiative, adjectiveirradiator, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for irradiate

irradiate

[ ĭ-rā′dē-āt′ ]

To expose to or treat with radiation. For example, meat sold as food is often irradiated with x-rays or other radiation to kill bacteria; uranium 238 can be irradiated with neutrons to create fissionable plutonium 239.

irradiate

Origin of irradiate

OTHER WORDS FROM irradiate

Words nearby irradiate

Words related to irradiate

How to use irradiate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for irradiate

Derived forms of irradiate

Scientific definitions for irradiate