Word
irradiation
Phoneticsir·ra·di·a·tion
/ˌɪˌɹeɪdiˈeɪʃən/
Definition
n. the process of exposing something to radiation, such as X-rays or light. It is often used to kill bacteria in food or to treat medical conditions.
n. exposure to radiation, such as ultraviolet light, X-rays, or alpha particles. Often refers to the deliberate application of ionizing radiation for sterilization or medical therapy.
Examples
“Irradiation helps keep food fresh for a longer time.”
“The hospital uses gamma irradiation to sterilize surgical equipment that cannot withstand the high heat of a traditional oven.”
“Food safety experts argue that low-dose irradiation effectively eliminates pathogens without significantly altering the nutritional profile or flavor of the produce.”
Examples
simple
“Irradiation helps keep food fresh for a longer time.”
contextual
“The hospital uses gamma irradiation to sterilize surgical equipment that cannot withstand the high heat of a traditional oven.”
complex
“Food safety experts argue that low-dose irradiation effectively eliminates pathogens without significantly altering the nutritional profile or flavor of the produce.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the general process; can be countable when referring to specific instances or treatments.
Real-World Examples
Common in science writing
“We are now continuing to push the scale and accuracy of such simulations, reaching higher irradiation doses at greater length scales than before.” “The team used hot-wire laser irradiation (also called laser hot-wire welding), a process that combines a laser beam with a preheated filler wire.” Etymology
From Middle French irradiacion, from Latin irradiatio. Morphologically irradiate + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/irradiation