radiometric

adjective

ra·​dio·​met·​ric ˌrā-dē-ō-ˈme-trik How to pronounce radiometric (audio)
1
: relating to, using, or measured by a radiometer
2
: of or relating to the measurement of geologic time by means of the rate of disintegration of radioactive elements
radiometrically adverb

Examples of radiometric in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Dating rocks involves using radiometric techniques that harness the natural and spontaneous radioactive decay of certain elements in the rock, which acts as a type of clock. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 27 June 2025 Once the data has been extracted from the rocks using these two methods, researchers then attempt to use that data to come to a radiometric date. Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2025 To establish the age of these rocks, the researchers combined petrology and geochemistry and applied two radiometric dating methods using different isotopes of the elements samarium and neodymium. David Bressan, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 Based on radiometric dating of zircon grains preserved in tuff layers interbedded between the mudstone and amber beds, the entire sedimentary succession formed around 116 and 114 million years ago. David Bressan, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025 Geologists use the ratio of these two elements like a radiometric clock to determine how old something is. Briana Pobiner, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2025 The new discovery coincides with a 10 km x 5 km large airborne magnetic and radiometric potassic anomaly. Sacramento Bee, 2 July 2024 Scale: The new discovery coincides with a 10 km x 5 km large airborne magnetic and radiometric potassic anomaly (Figures 8 and 9). Kansas City Star, 22 May 2024 The idea for radiometric dating first occurred to a New Zealand scientist named Ernest Rutherford in 1904. Isaac Skromne, The Conversation, 18 July 2022

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of radiometric was in 1877

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Cite this Entry

“Radiometric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radiometric. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Medical Definition

radiometric

adjective
ra·​dio·​met·​ric ˌrād-ē-ō-ˈme-trik How to pronounce radiometric (audio)
: relating to, using, or measured by a radiometer
radiometrically adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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