radiocarbon

American  

[rey-dee-oh-kahr-buhn] / ˌreɪ di oʊˈkɑr bən /

noun

Chemistry.

1. Also called carbon 14.  a radioactive isotope of carbon with mass number 14 and a half-life of about 5730 years: widely used in the dating of organic materials.

2. any radioactive isotope of carbon.

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radiocarbon British  

/ ˌreɪdɪəʊˈkɑːbən /

noun

1. a radioactive isotope of carbon, esp carbon-14 See carbon

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radiocarbon Scientific  

/ rā′dē-ō-kär′bən /

1. A radioactive isotope of carbon, especially carbon 14. Other radiocarbons include carbon 10, carbon 11, carbon 15, and carbon 16.

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Etymology

Origin of radiocarbon

First recorded in 1935–40; radio- + carbon

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

radiocarbon

The researchers combined genetic evidence with archaeological findings and radiocarbon dating to piece together what happened within these prehistoric communities.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2026

The team used radiocarbon dating, which looks at how a special form of carbon changes over time, to work out that the structure was 5,000 years old.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

Combined with radiocarbon dating of fabric fragments preserved inside several helmets, the approach allowed researchers to establish a highly accurate age for the artifacts.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 8, 2026

Reassessing older radiocarbon dates and improving climate reconstructions allowed scientists to better pinpoint when shifts from cold to warm conditions occurred.

From Science Daily ● May 13, 2026

According to radiocarbon tests, the Norte Chico gourd was harvested between 2280 and 2180 b.c.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann