irradiation

noun

ir·ra·di·a·tion | \ i-ˌrā-dē-ˈā-shən

Definition of irradiation

1 : exposure to radiation (such as X-rays or alpha particles)

2 : the application of radiation (such as X-rays or gamma rays) for therapeutic purposes or for sterilization (as of food) also : partial or complete sterilization by irradiation

Examples of irradiation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web High irradiation countries will use solar to fuel electrolysis and export the hydrogen or its derivatives. — Wood Mackenzie, Forbes, "How Solar Is Central To The Energy Transition," 18 Mar. 2021 The team has been experimenting with different spacecraft materials to see how each reacts to laser pulse emissions called irradiation. — Caroline Delbert And Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, "Scientists Want to Destroy Zombie Satellites With Lasers. What Could Go Wrong?," 2 Mar. 2021 The irradiation sterilizes female mosquitoes, so that any that are inadvertently released will be unable to reproduce and spread Wolbachia to future generations. — Jon Emont, WSJ, "How to Fight the Deadly Dengue Virus? Make Your Own Mosquitoes.," 6 Sep. 2020 The impact of continuous germicidal irradiation exposure on the overall environmental microbiome also needs to be understood. — Karl Linden, The Conversation, "Ultraviolet light can make indoor spaces safer during the pandemic – if it’s used the right way," 9 Sep. 2020 The biggest limitation is that the irradiation can be a health hazard, to both skin and eye, which is why the fixtures are placed up high, away from people. — Carolyn Barber, Scientific American, "Protecting against COVID's Aerosol Threat," 1 Oct. 2020 These robots, which include Tru-D and Xenex, enter empty rooms between patients and roam around remotely emitting high-power UV irradiation to disinfect surfaces. — Karl Linden, The Conversation, "Ultraviolet light can make indoor spaces safer during the pandemic – if it’s used the right way," 9 Sep. 2020 Others are subjected to low-dose X-ray irradiation using a specific methodology Singapore developed in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency. — Jon Emont, WSJ, "How to Fight the Deadly Dengue Virus? Make Your Own Mosquitoes.," 6 Sep. 2020 The room had six air changes per hour and was fitted with efficient filters, ultraviolet irradiation and other safety measures to inactivate the virus before the air was reintroduced into the room. — Apoorva Mandavilli New York Times, Star Tribune, "Infectious coronavirus retrieved from hospital air," 12 Aug. 2020

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

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Last Updated

2 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Irradiation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irradiation. Accessed 18 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for irradiation

irradiation

noun

ir·ra·di·a·tion | \ i-ˌrā-dē-ˈā-shən

Kids Definition of irradiation

: exposure to radiation

irradiation

noun

ir·ra·di·a·tion | \ ir-ˌād-ē-ˈā-shən

Medical Definition of irradiation

1a : the radiation of a physiologically active agent from a point of origin within the body especially : the spread of a nerve impulse beyond the usual conduction path

b : apparent enlargement of a light or bright object or surface when displayed against a dark background

2a : exposure to radiation (as X-rays or alpha particles)

b : application of radiation (as X-rays or gamma rays) for therapeutic purposes or for sterilization (as of food)

3 : irradiance