radioactive

[rey-dee-oh-ak-tiv]

adjective

1. Physics, Chemistry.,  of, relating to, exhibiting, or caused by radioactivity.

   A pressing issue in post-Soviet Russia is safe long-term storage of radioactive waste, from both military and civilian applications.

2. relating to or being a person, topic, or matter that is likely to provoke intense negative reactions or disagreement.

   The option of raising taxes to fund these expenditures is a politically radioactive approach that a majority of state policymakers have avoided.

radioactive

/ ˌreɪdɪəʊˈæktɪv /

adjective

1. exhibiting, using, or concerned with radioactivity

radioactive

1. A descriptive term for a material made up of atoms in which radioactivity occurs.

Other Word Forms

• radioactively adverb
• nonradioactive adjective
• unradioactive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of radioactive¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; radio- + active

Example Sentences

Greenpeace members on Saturday filmed the loading of about 10 containers with radioactive labels onto a cargo ship in the Channel port of Dunkirk, the NGO said.

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When a uranium atom fissions, the two pieces that are left are radioactive.

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Fourth-generation reactors—often small and modular—are designed for efficiency, affordability, minimal long-lived radioactive waste and inherent accident safety.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

They’re managing this thing, selling holdings that look shaky before they turn into radioactive waste.

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Plutonium-239 is a radioactive isotope and byproduct of nuclear bomb explosions.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• contaminated www.thesaurus.com
• dangerous 
• hot 

When To Use

What does radioactive mean?

Radioactive describes something that exhibits or is caused by radioactivity. If something is radioactive, it emits radiation, which usually takes the form of electromagnetic waves or fast-moving elementary particles, such as protons or neutrons.While low doses of radiation are usually harmless, being exposed to large amounts of radiation will most likely kill you. For this reason, highly radioactive materials are often considered very dangerous and will only be handled by experts.Example: The radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants can damage the environment.