rem

¹ American  

[rem] / rɛm /

noun

Nucleonics.

1. the quantity of ionizing radiation whose biological effect is equal to that produced by one roentgen of x-rays.

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REM ² American  

[rem] / rɛm /

noun

1. rapid eye movement.

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REM ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. rapid eye movement

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REM ² British  

/ rɛm /

acronym

1. roentgen equivalent man

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rem Scientific  

/ rĕm /

1. The amount of ionizing radiation required to produce the same biological effect as one rad of high-penetration x-rays. The rem has been replaced in most scientific contexts by the sievert.

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rem Cultural  

1. An acronym for r oentgen e quivalent m an. A unit of absorbed doses of radiation.

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Discover More

A normal medical x-ray delivers about 0.02 rem; a fatal dose of radiation is several thousand rem.

Etymology

Origin of rem¹

1945–50; r(oentgen) e(quivalent in) m(an)

Origin of REM²

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

It gave them a dose of 0.31 rem — a very small dose too low to qualify veterans for department benefits.

From New York Times • Jun. 19, 2016

NIOSH, trying to give Brogdon the benefit of the doubt, calculated the dose to his prostate at just above 35 rem.

From Slate • Dec. 11, 2015

Since about 20 percent of all worldwide deaths are from cancer, the increase due to a 1 rem exposure is impossible to detect demographically.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

I wouldn’t dream of doing something as stupid as leaving my home and ruining my life by becoming a refugee for 5 rem per year, let alone 2 rem.

From Forbes • May 19, 2013

Being of his flesh born they had his name Foreth rem ir Osborth, and were reared in that Clanhearth.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin