radiotherapy

[ rey-dee-oh-ther-uh-pee ]

noun

, Medicine/Medical.

1. treatment of disease by means of x-rays or of radioactive substances.

radiotherapy

/ ˌreɪdɪəʊˈθɛrəpɪ; ˌreɪdɪəʊˌθɛrəˈpjuːtɪk /

noun

1. the treatment of disease, esp cancer, by means of alpha or beta particles emitted from an implanted or ingested radioisotope, or by means of a beam of high-energy radiation Compare chemotherapy

Derived Forms

• radiotherapeutic, adjective
• ˌradioˌtheraˈpeutically, adverb
• ˌradioˈtherapist, noun

Other Words From

• radi·o·thera·pist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of radiotherapy¹

First recorded in 1900–05; radio- + therapy

Example Sentences

Then, some people stole and dismantled a radiotherapy device from an abandoned hospital site in order to sell the parts as scrap metal.

From MIT Technology Review

After surgery, the patients all received the standard therapy of chemo, radiotherapy and endocrine therapy.

From The Daily Beast