irradiate
Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ɪˈɹeɪdieɪt/
Verb

irradiate (irradiates, present participle irradiating; past and past participle irradiated)

  1. (transitive, literary, poetic) To throw rays of light upon; to illuminate; to brighten; to adorn with luster.
    • c. late 18th century Sir W. Jones, Hymn to Lachsmi
      Thy smile irradiates yon blue fields.
  2. (transitive, literary, poetic) To enlighten intellectually; to illuminate.
    to irradiate the mind
    • 1740 or earlier Bishop George Bull, A discourse concerning the spirit of God in the faithful
      And indeed we ought, in these happy intervals, when our understandings are thus irradiated and enlightened, to make a judgment of the state and condition of our souls in the sight of God […]
  3. (transitive, literary, poetic) To animate by heat or light.
  4. (transitive, literary, poetic) To radiate, shed, or diffuse.
    • a splendid facade, […] irradiating hospitality
  5. (transitive, literary, poetic) To decorate with shining ornaments.
  6. (intransitive) To emit rays; to shine.
  7. (science) To apply radiation to.
    1. (medical) To treat (a tumour or cancerous growth) with radiation.
    2. (transitive) To treat (food) with ionizing radiation in order to destroy bacteria.
Adjective
  1. Illuminated; irradiated; made brilliant or splendid.
    • 1801, Robert Southey, Thalaba the Destroyer:
      The co-existent Flame
      Knew the Destroyer; it encircled him,
      Roll’d up his robe, and gathered round his head,
      Condensing to intenser splendour there,
      His Crown of Glory, and his Light of Life,
      Hovered the irradiate wreath.
Related terms


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