irradiation
Americannoun
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the act of irradiating.
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the state of being irradiated.
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intellectual or spiritual enlightenment.
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a ray of light; beam.
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Optics. the apparent enlargement of an object when seen against a dark background.
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the use of x-rays or other forms of radiation for the treatment of disease, the making of x-ray photographs, the manufacture of vitamin D, etc.
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exposure or the process of exposure to x-rays or other radiation.
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Physics. irradiance.
noun
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the act or process of irradiating or the state of being irradiated
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the apparent enlargement of a brightly lit object when it is viewed against a dark background
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a shaft of light; beam or ray
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med
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the therapeutic or diagnostic use of radiation, esp X-rays
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exposure of a patient to such radiation
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another name for radiation irradiance
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irradiation
First recorded in 1580–90, irradiation is from the Late Latin word irradiātiōn- (stem of irradiātiō ). See ir- 1, radiation
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Researchers are using controlled, low-dose gamma irradiation on plant tissues to induce stable genetic mutations.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Studies have shown that NMs can form spontaneously through the weathering of natural minerals in charged water microdroplets or under UV irradiation.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026
He even visited a nuclear research facility in India to learn more about the irradiation process.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026
In south India, there is exactly one irradiation center, in Bengaluru, creating a bottleneck every spring.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026
In fact, neutron irradiation of live tumors was more Ernest’s enthusiasm than John’s.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
