emanation

noun em·a·na·tion \ ˌe-mə-ˈnā-shən \

|Updated on: 4 Jul 2018

Definition of emanation

1 a : the action of emanating

b : the origination of the world by a series of hierarchically descending radiations from the Godhead through intermediate stages to matter

2 a : something that emanates or is produced by emanation : effluence

b : an isotope of radon produced by radioactive disintegration

radium emanation

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emanative

play \ˈe-mə-ˌnā-tiv\ adjective

Recent Examples of emanation from the Web

This felt like an emanation from the California of the nineteen-twenties, when spiritual seekers settled in towns like Ojai and tried to start anew.

— alex ross, The New Yorker, "The Sonic Fury of the Ojai Music Festival," 24 June 2018
The right to privacy was formed out of such emanations.

— louis menand, The New Yorker, "Why Do We Care So Much About Privacy?," 22 Sep. 2014
This is one of numerous subplots Melo weaves together in a script which leaves several loose ends carelessly dangling but does feel like an organic emanation of the particular place and culture depicted.

— neil young, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Azougue Nazare': Film Review | Rotterdam 2018," 29 Jan. 2018
Thus, the Third Reich was the emanation of a collective as well as an individual’s imagination.

— nicholas o’shaughnessy, Slate Magazine, "How Hitler Conquered Germany," 14 Mar. 2017
Billowing burnouts and thunderous emanations are standard equipment on the Challenger SRT siblings.

— eric stafford, Car and Driver, "2017 Dodge Challenger SRT 392 / SRT Hellcat," 19 Sep. 2017
As the two descended to the sidewalk, Thread emanations rose from half-a-dozen half-dazed dancers and their Volunteer captives like steam or transparent smoke or heat, invisible to the eye but easy enough to detect with the right senses.

— nisi shawl, Slate Magazine, "“Slippernet”," 22 Feb. 2017
Interspersed with radio emissions from stars, the astronomers were surprised to find the characteristic heat emanations from some six million solar masses of dust.

— dennis overbye, New York Times, "Our Universe’s Very Dusty Early, Early Beginnings," 8 Mar. 2017
Additional equipment and improvements will be incorporated as necessary (test-fix-retest methodology) to ensure systems are adequately shielded, bonded, and/or separated to eliminate any compromising emanations.

— noah shachtman, WIRED, "Coast Guard Denies Cutter Allegations," 20 Oct. 2008

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emanation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.