radioisotope

noun

ra·​dio·​iso·​tope ˌrā-dē-ō-ˈī-sə-ˌtōp How to pronounce radioisotope (audio)
: a radioactive isotope
radioisotopic adjective

Examples of radioisotope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The decay of the radioisotope produces high-energy beta particles that ionize the electrolyte, creating a potential difference between the anode and cathode immersed in the solution and driving electron flow through an external circuit to produce electricity. IEEE Spectrum, 25 Aug. 2025 Authorities subsequently detected elevated levels of the radioisotope Cesium-137 (Cs-137) in containers in Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, and Savannah. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Aug. 2025 Possible contamination of shrimp by a radioisotope led the FDA to issue a do-not-eat-or-sell warning Tuesday for three lots of frozen shrimp sold under Walmart’s Great Value brand. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025 Meanwhile other nations are pursuing or preserving their own RPS capabilities, with Europe’s sights set on americium 241, a radioisotope with a five-times-longer half-life but a five-times-weaker energy output than plutonium 238. Hannah Richter, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for radioisotope

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of radioisotope was in 1938

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Radioisotope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radioisotope. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

radioisotope

noun
ra·​dio·​iso·​tope ˌrād-ē-ō-ˈī-sə-ˌtōp How to pronounce radioisotope (audio)
: a radioactive isotope

Medical Definition

radioisotope

noun
ra·​dio·​iso·​tope ˌrād-ē-ō-ˈī-sə-ˌtōp How to pronounce radioisotope (audio)
: a radioactive isotope compare radioelement
radioisotopic adjective
radioisotopically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on radioisotope

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!