radiation

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (7)

  1. energy that is radiated or transmitted in the form of rays or waves or particles
  2. the act of spreading outward from a central source
  3. syndrome resulting from exposure to ionizing radiation (e.g., exposure to radioactive chemicals or to nuclear explosions); low doses cause diarrhea and nausea and vomiting and sometimes loss of hair; greater exposure can cause sterility and cataracts and some forms of cancer and other diseases; severe exposure can cause death within hours“he was suffering from radiation”Synonyms: radiation sicknessradiation syndrome
  4. the spontaneous emission of a stream of particles or electromagnetic rays in nuclear decaySynonyms: radioactivity
  5. the spread of a group of organisms into new habitats
  6. a radial arrangement of nerve fibers connecting different parts of the brain
  7. (medicine) the treatment of disease (especially cancer) by exposure to a radioactive substanceSynonyms: radiotherapyradiation therapyactinotherapyirradiation
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Radiation \Ra`di*a"tion\ (r[=a]`d[i^]*[=a]"sh[u^]n), n. [L. radiatio: cf. F. radiation.]

1.The act of radiating, or the state of being radiated; emission and diffusion of rays of light; beamy brightness. [1913 Webster]

2.The shooting forth of anything from a point or surface, like the diverging rays of light; as, the radiation of heat. [1913 Webster]

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