Definition: Radiation

From New World Encyclopedia

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin radiatio, radiationis. By surface analysis, radiate + -ion.

Noun

radiation (countable and uncountable, plural radiations)

  1. The shooting forth of anything from a point or surface, like diverging rays of light.
    heat radiation
  2. The process of radiating waves or particles.
  3. The transfer of energy via radiation.
  4. Radioactive energy.
  5. (evolutionary theory, countable) A rapid diversification of an ancestral species into many new forms.

Derived terms

  • acute radiation syndrome
  • adaptive radiation
  • alpha radiation
  • beta radiation
  • Cerenkov radiation
  • cosmic radiation
  • electromagnetic radiation
  • gamma radiation
  • gravitational radiation
  • Hawking radiation
  • infrared radiation
  • microwave radiation
  • neutron radiation
  • nuclear radiation
  • radiation belt
  • radiation biology
  • radiation chemistry
  • radiation damage
  • radiation physics
  • radiation poisoning
  • radiation pyrometer
  • radiation sickness
  • radiation therapy
  • solar radiation
  • thermal radiation
  • ultraviolet radiation
  • X-radiation
  • X-ray radiation

Related terms

  • radiate
  • radiative

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