radiator

noun

ra·​di·​a·​tor ˈrā-dē-ˌā-tər 

dialectal ˈra-

: one that radiates: such as

a

: any of various devices (such as a series of pipes or tubes) for transferring heat from a fluid within to an area or object outside

b

: a transmitting antenna

Examples of radiator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Electric cars also don't have radiators, fuel tanks, or exhaust systems that can cause problems, spark plugs that need to be replaced every 100,000 miles or so, oil that needs to be changed regularly, or mufflers that eventually wear out. —Keith Laing, USA Today, 17 June 2026

There was no doorman and no stained glass, and the radiator in the two-bedroom that Goldberg rented for $1,200 was peeling paint. —Jesse Armas, Curbed, 16 June 2026

As a result, removing 10 megawatts of waste heat can require radiator surfaces comparable to the size of two football fields. —Sven Bilén, The Conversation, 16 June 2026

In a traditional satellite model, when the radiator degrades or the memory fails, the satellite becomes space junk. —IEEE Spectrum, 11 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for radiator

• creator
• curator
• debater
• deflator
• dictator
• dilator
• equator
• locator
• piscator
• pronator
• relator
• rotator

Kids Definition

radiator

noun

ra·​di·​a·​tor ˈrād-ē-ˌāt-ər 

: one that radiates

especially : any of various devices (as a set of pipes or tubes) for transferring heat from a fluid within to an area or object outside