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

The legal limit for radiation exposure in the workplace is 5 rem per year.

From Slate • Dec. 11, 2015

What is the dose in rem to the tumor, if the average γ energy per decay is 1.25 MeV?

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

If the exposure is not small compared with the exposure from the average sea level background radiation — 0.3 rem — it is a significant issue.

From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2014

I would take 25 rem just to save my cat.

From Forbes • May 19, 2013

This is the king’s cousin Pemmer Harge rem ir Tibe.

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