irradiate

[ verb ih-rey-dee-eyt; adjective ih-rey-dee-it, -eyt ]

verb (used with object)

, ir·ra·di·at·ed, ir·ra·di·at·ing.

1. to shed rays of light upon; illuminate.
2. to illumine intellectually or spiritually.
3. to brighten as if with light.
4. to radiate (light, illumination, etc.).
5. to heat with radiant energy.
6. to treat by exposure to radiation, as of ultraviolet light.
7. to expose to radiation.

verb (used without object)

, ir·ra·di·at·ed, ir·ra·di·at·ing.

1. Archaic.
   1. to emit rays; shine.
   2. to become radiant.

adjective

1. irradiated; bright.

irradiate

/ ɪˈreɪdɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. tr physics to subject to or treat with light or other electromagnetic radiation or with beams of particles
2. tr to expose (food) to electromagnetic radiation to kill bacteria and retard deterioration
3. tr to make clear or bright intellectually or spiritually; illumine
4. a less common word for radiate
5. obsolete.
   intr to become radiant

irradiate

/ ĭ-rā′dē-āt′ /

1. To expose to or treat with radiation. For example, meat sold as food is often irradiated with x-rays or other radiation to kill bacteria; uranium 238 can be irradiated with neutrons to create fissionable plutonium 239.

Derived Forms

• irˈradiative, adjective
• irˈradiˌator, noun

Other Words From

• ir·radi·ating·ly adverb
• ir·radi·ative adjective
• ir·radi·ator noun
• nonir·radi·ated adjective
• unir·radi·ated adjective
• unir·radi·ative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of irradiate¹

1595–1605; < Latin irradiātus, past participle of irradiāre to shine upon. See ir- ¹, radiate

Example Sentences

Instead of using cobalt or other radioactive materials, Wilson’s team uses an X-ray machine to irradiate the pests.

From Los Angeles Times

Curtis makes his living as a Hollywood screenwriter, penning B-horror movies filled with irradiated mutants and monsters.

From Los Angeles Times

For one group of rats, the sutured area was irradiated with a helium plasma jet.

From Science Daily

New research demonstrates that fast electronic processes can be probed by irradiating the materials with ions first.

From Science Daily

Plutonium was chemically separated from uranium irradiated in Hanford reactors, leaving the mix of other radioactive material and hazardous chemicals stored in underground tanks, some since the 1940s.

From Seattle Times