radiate

verb ra·di·ate \ ˈrā-dē-ˌāt \

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Examples: radiate in a Sentence

Definition of radiate

radiated; radiating

intransitive verb

1 : to proceed in a direct line from or toward a center

2 : to send out rays : shine brightly

3 a : to issue in or as if in rays

b : to evolve by adaptive radiation

transitive verb

1 : to send out in or as if in rays

2 : irradiate, illuminate

3 : to spread abroad or around as if from a center

See radiate defined for English-language learners

See radiate defined for kids

Examples of radiate in a Sentence

The pain was radiating down my arm.
The sun radiates heat and light.
Heat radiates from the sun.

Recent Examples of radiate from the Web

The directions of the spokes radiating from the center represent the compass orientations of the streets, while the lengths of the spokes represent the relative frequency of the streets following those bearings, Boeing said in a blog post.

— martin finucane, BostonGlobe.com, "Boston’s streets do go in all sorts of directions. These charts prove it," 12 July 2018
For every aristocratic youth excited to emulate the new fashions radiating from London, there was another whose first reaction was to stuff a mouse into a macaroni’s wig bag.

— george prochnik, The New Yorker, "Briefly Noted," 24 June 2018
The raid was conducted after local residents filed complaints of a foul smell radiating from the processing plant.

— The Christian Science Monitor, "Thailand takes first step toward total ban of e-waste," 21 June 2018
Bob Marley passed away over 30 years ago but remains a renowned reggae legend whose music, from his conscious lyrics and revolutionary anthems, is deeply rooted in Jamaican culture and radiates throughout the works of the generations that followed.

— nerisha penrose, Billboard, "Damian Marley Talks 'Living It Up' Video & Taking His Son Back to Jamaica," 29 Mar. 2018
The stylist, accidental beauty entrepreneur, and, now, icon of agelessness, radiated something beyond great genes and a lit-from-within sunniness.

— refinery29.com, "Linda Rodin’s Rise To Accidental Style Icon," 12 July 2018
That dream once radiated outward, a beacon for people from less open-minded places.

— mikael wood, kansascity, "KCK’s Janelle Monae and other pop artists shape the new sound of protest music," 6 July 2018
But Tony and his mother, Funani, radiate pure love, in a distinctly hippo fashion.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "For the Fourth, bring out the (San Diego Zoo) babies!," 3 July 2018
The surrounding pavement also absorbs and radiates heat, so a street tree is living in a hotter environment than a tree in a yard.

— beth botts, chicagotribune.com, "What does scorching heat mean for trees and plants?," 3 July 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of radiate

Latin radiatus, past participle of radiare, from radius ray

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1619

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

radiate Synonyms

radiate

adjective ra·di·ate \ ˈrā-dē-ət , -ˌāt \

Definition of radiate

: having rays or radial parts: such as

a : having ray flowers

b : characterized by radial symmetry : radially symmetrical

—

radiately

adverb

First Known Use of radiate

1668

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate

RADIATE Defined for English Language Learners

radiate

verb

Definition of radiate for English Language Learners

: to go out in a direct line from a central point or area
: to move in a specified direction from a source
: to send out (something, such as heat or energy) in rays

RADIATE Defined for Kids

radiate

verb ra·di·ate \ ˈrā-dē-ˌāt \

Definition of radiate for Students

radiated; radiating

1 : to send out rays : shine The sun was radiating in the sky.

2 : to come forth in the form of rays

Light radiates from shining bodies.

3 : to go out in a direct line from a center

Spokes radiate from the center of the wheel.

4 : to spread around from or as if from a center

Word radiated that Royce McNabb had sent Ina-Rae Gage a valentine.
—Richard Peck, A Year Down Yonder

5 : to show very clearly

She radiates confidence.

Medical Dictionary

radiate

verb ra·di·ate \ ˈrād-ē-ˌāt \

medical Definition of radiate

radiated; radiating

intransitive verb

: to issue in or as if in rays : spread from a central point

back pain radiating to both upper legs
—Tony Miksanek

transitive verb

: irradiate

radiate

adjective ra·di·ate \ ˈrād-ē-ət, -ē-ˌāt \

medical Definition of radiate

1 : having rays or radial parts

2 : characterized by radial symmetry : radially symmetrical

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See words that rhyme with radiate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for radiate Spanish Central: Translation of radiate Nglish: Translation of radiate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of radiate for Arabic speakers

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radiate

Definition of radiate

Examples of radiate in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of radiate

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Synonyms

Antonyms

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Related Words

radiate

Definition of radiate

radiately

First Known Use of radiate

Other Biology Terms

RADIATE Defined for English Language Learners

radiate

Definition of radiate for English Language Learners

RADIATE Defined for Kids

radiate

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Medical Dictionary

radiate

medical Definition of radiate

radiate

medical Definition of radiate

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