irradiate

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

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

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR irradiate 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.

RELATED WORDS

light, lighten, brighten

Nearby words

Origin of irradiate

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

Related forms

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for irradiate

They exalted the unknown Disraeli out of sheer delight at his Byronic ability to irradiate everything with romance.
George Du Maurier, the Satirist of the Victorians|T. Martin Wood
The prophetical books will aid the student, and the Psalms will irradiate certain dark periods.
Studies in Old Testament History|Jesse L. Hurlbut
Why should he not be proud of any member of the family who could irradiate the antique obscurity of the Chillingly race?
Kenelm Chillingly, Complete|Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Some of this power ought to irradiate from his eye and his voice whenever he crosses the threshold of a sick-room.
Psychotherapy|Hugo Mnsterberg

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

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 Formsirradiative, 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

Word Origin and History for irradiate

irradiate

c.1600, "to cast beams of light upon," from Latin irradiatus, past participle of irradiare "shine forth," from assimilated form of in- "into, in" (see in- (2)) + radiare "to shine" (see radiate). Meaning "expose to radiation other than light" (originally X-rays) is from 1901. Related: Irradiated; irradiating.

Medicine 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.

Science 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.