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irradiate
[ verb ih-rey-dee-eyt; adjective ih-rey-dee-it, -eyt ]
/ verb ɪˈreɪ diˌeɪt; adjective ɪˈreɪ di ɪt, -ˌeɪt /
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verb (used with object), ir·ra·di·at·ed, ir·ra·di·at·ing.
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
OTHER WORDS FROM irradiate
Words nearby irradiate
irotomy, IRQ, Irra, irradiance, irradiant, irradiate, irradiation, irradicable, irrational, irrationalism, irrationality
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use irradiate in a sentence
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, nounCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for irradiate
irradiate
[ ĭ-rā′dē-āt′ ]
v.
To expose to radiation, as for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
To treat with radiation.
To apply radiation to a structure or organism.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.