radiate

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

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR radiate ON THESAURUS.COM

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

to extend, spread, or move like rays or radii from a center.

to emit rays, as of light or heat; irradiate.

to issue or proceed in rays.

(of persons) to project or glow with cheerfulness, joy, etc.: She simply radiates with good humor.

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

to emit in rays; disseminate, as from a center.

(of persons) to project (joy, goodwill, etc.).

adjective

radiating from a center.

having rays extending from a central point or part: a coin showing a radiate head.

radiating symmetrically.

Origin of radiate

First recorded in 1610–20, radiate is from the Latin word radiātus (past participle of radiāre to radiate light, shine). See radiant, -ate¹

Related formsra·di·a·ble, adjectivera·di·a·bil·i·ty, ra·di·a·ble·ness, nounra·di·a·bly, ra·di·ate·ly, adverban·ti·ra·di·at·ing, adjectivein·ter·ra·di·ate, verb (used without object), in·ter·ra·di·at·ed, in·ter·ra·di·at·ing.mul·ti·ra·di·ate, adjectivemul·ti·ra·di·at·ed, adjectivenon·ra·di·at·ing, adjectivere·ra·di·ate, verb, re·ra·di·at·ed, re·ra·di·at·ing.sub·ra·di·ate, adjectiveun·ra·di·at·ed, adjective

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

Related Words for radiate

shine, gleam, emanate, emit, beam, transmit, diverge, diffuse, ramify, proliferate, shed, illumine, irradiate, ramble, disseminate, afford, issue, distribute, sprinkle, yield

Examples from the Web for radiate

Contemporary Examples of radiate

The Germans radiate a kind of discipline; passes are firm and accurate and every movement seems to have a purpose.
Home of the (Footballing) Brave: The U.S. Bested Britain in World Cup Spirit
Emma Woolf
July 7, 2014
These were the days before Twitter, of course, when rumors metastasized and took slightly longer to radiate.
Boston Marathon Bombing Media Errors Pile Up, as Does the Outrage
Michael Moynihan
April 18, 2013
When you bring people together they are able to radiate their truth.
Why Voters Attend Final-Days Campaign Rallies
David Freedlander
November 6, 2012

Historical Examples of radiate

There was nothing the matter, only he had not yet learned to radiate.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
He just seems to radiate good will, and friendliness, and optimism wherever he goes.
Mixed Faces
Roy Norton
The capacity of bodies to radiate and to absorb differ considerably.
Aether and Gravitation
William George Hooper
There are three streets that radiate from it directly through the heart of the town.
Rollo in Rome
Jacob Abbott
Yet everything about him seemed to be made up of kindness—to radiate comfort.
Children of the Desert
Louis Dodge

British Dictionary definitions for radiate

radiate

verb (ˈreɪdɪˌeɪt)

Also: eradiate to emit (heat, light, or some other form of radiation) or (of heat, light, etc) to be emitted as radiation

(intr) (of lines, beams, etc) to spread out from a centre or be arranged in a radial pattern

(tr) (of a person) to show (happiness, health, etc) to a great degree

adjective (ˈreɪdɪɪt, -ˌeɪt)

having rays; radiating

(of a capitulum) consisting of ray florets

(of animals or their parts) showing radial symmetry

adorned or decorated with raysa radiate head on a coin

Word Origin for radiate

C17: from Latin radiāre to emit rays

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 radiate

1610s, "spread in all directions from a point," from Latin radiatus, past participle of radiare "to beam, shine, gleam; make beaming" (see radiation). Meaning "be radiant, give off rays (of light or heat)" is from 1704. Related: Radiated; radiates; radiating.

adj.

"having rays, furnished with rays, shining," 1660s, from Latin radiatus (see radiate (v.)).

radiate in Medicine

radiate

[rā′dē-āt′]

v.

To spread out in all directions from a center.

To emit or be emitted as radiation.

Related formsra′di•a′tive adj.