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

For example, 1 rad of γ radiation is also 1 rem.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

I would take 25 rem just to save my cat.

From Forbes • May 19, 2013

Sardon rem ir Chenewich, whom I had known well at court, was on the staff there.

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