emission

noun

emis·​sion ē-ˈmi-shən 

1

a

: an act or instance of emitting : emanation

b

archaic : publication

c

: a putting into circulation

2

a

: something sent forth by emitting: such as

(1)

: electromagnetic radiation from an antenna or a celestial body

(2)

usually emissions : substances discharged into the air (as by a smokestack or an automobile engine)

b

: effluvium

emissive

ē-ˈmi-siv 

adjective

Examples of emission in a Sentence

trying to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases

Recent Examples on the Web

Sarah Doherty, program director of the Marine Cloud Brightening Project and associate professor at the University of Washington, says that emissions from ships traversing the globe have already been triggering a similar process. —Stephanie Ebbs, ABC News, 26 Apr. 2024

Despite the many efforts and programs to arrest climate change, emissions from fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and gas, have reached a new record in 2023. —Sacramento Bee, 26 Apr. 2024

Globally, food waste accounts for almost ten per cent of the world’s planet-warming emissions. —Patricia Marx, The New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2024

Air quality monitoring Since the Clean Air Act was signed into law in 1970, emissions of the six most common air pollutants have fallen by 78%, according to the EPA. —Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2024

To date, the sales of these refills has saved more than 79 tons of carbon emissions. —Hannah Coates, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2024

Eight developing countries have already achieved net-zero emissions. —Kelly Sims Gallagher, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024

This is if swift measures aren’t taken to counteract the affects of high carbon emissions and other environmental threats. —Jasmine Browley, Essence, 23 Apr. 2024

The California Air Resources Board estimates that in California, agriculture is the source of 8% of total inventoried greenhouse gas emissions. —Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing emission

• acoustic emission
• positron-emission tomography
• re-emission
• secondary emission

Kids Definition

emission

noun

emis·​sion ē-ˈmish-ən 

1

: an act or instance of emitting

2

: something emitted or discharged

emissive

ē-ˈmis-iv 

adjective

Medical Definition

emission

noun

emis·​sion ē-ˈmish-ən 

1

: an act or instance of emitting

2

a

: something sent forth by emitting: as

(1)

: electrons discharged from a surface

(2)

: electromagnetic waves radiated by an antenna or a celestial body

(3)

: substances and especially pollutants discharged into the air (as by a smokestack or an automobile gasoline engine)

b

: a discharge of fluid from a living body

especially : ejaculate see nocturnal emission