gamma ray

noun

: a photon emitted spontaneously by a radioactive substance

also : a photon of higher energy than that of an X-ray

Examples of gamma ray in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Researchers have long been trying to exploit this to reveal dark matter, looking at regions where dark matter is expected to be concentrated—like the center of the Milky Way—in search of the telltale gamma ray signals. —Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025

The telescope is designed to pick up a type of intense electromagnetic radiation known as gamma rays. —Denise Chow, NBC news, 25 Nov. 2025

These pairs are expected to scatter off the cosmic microwave background and then to produce lower-energy gamma rays in the GeV range. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025

People had previously predicted that finding these genes would be impossible because aging was thought to have multiple causes: oxidative stress, gamma rays, gravity. —Dominique Mosbergen, Time, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gamma ray

• aaa
• adonais
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

gamma ray

noun

: a ray that is like an X-ray but of higher energy and that is given off especially by a radioactive substance

Medical Definition

gamma ray

noun

: a photon emitted spontaneously by a radioactive substance

also : a high-energy photon

—usually used in plural