Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To expose to radiation.
  • intransitive verb To treat with radiation.
  • intransitive verb To shed light on; illuminate.
  • intransitive verb To manifest in a manner suggesting the emission of light; radiate.
  • intransitive verb To send forth rays; radiate.
  • intransitive verb To become radiant.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To subject to the therapeutic action of the Röntgen or other rays.
  • Illuminated; made brilliant or splendid.
  • To illuminate or shed light upon or into; make luminous or clear; light up; enlighten.
  • To make splendid or glorious; confer honor or dignity upon; exalt; adorn.
  • To radiate into; penetrate by radiation.
  • To emit rays; shine.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To emit rays; to shine.
  • adjective Illuminated; irradiated.
  • transitive verb To throw rays of light upon; to illuminate; to brighten; to adorn with luster.
  • transitive verb To enlighten intellectually; to illuminate.
  • transitive verb To animate by heat or light.
  • transitive verb To radiate, shed, or diffuse.
  • transitive verb To expose to radiation of any kind, especially ionizing radiation.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To throw rays of light upon; to illuminate; to brighten; to adorn with luster.
  • verb transitive To enlighten intellectually; to illuminate; as, to irradiate the mind.
  • verb transitive To animate by heat or light.
  • verb transitive To radiate, shed, or diffuse.
  • verb intransitive To emit rays; to shine.
  • verb transitive To treat (food) with ionizing radiation in order to destroy bacteria
  • adjective Illuminated; irradiated; made brilliant or splendid.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb expose to radiation
  • verb cast rays of light upon
  • verb give spiritual insight to; in religion

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin irradiāre, irradiāt-, to illuminate : in-, on; see in– + radiāre, to shine; see radiate.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin irradiatus

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Examples

  • Rashid: "(The table) is organic like sound, omnidirectional like sound, and that emphasizes the 'volumous' beats that irradiate from the two turntables."

    Boing Boing: June 13, 2004 - June 19, 2004 Archives 2004

  • Microwaves and heat waves (infrared) both "irradiate" food.

    Microwaving Beats Boiling For Veggies | Lifehacker Australia 2009

  • Microwaves and heat waves infrared both "irradiate" food.

    Microwaving Beats Boiling For Veggies | Lifehacker Australia 2009

  • The sheer awesomeness of that idea is exceeded only by its power to irradiate everyone within miles of its launch.

    Tuesday Ted: George Dyson 2009

  • The sheer awesomeness of that idea is exceeded only by its power to irradiate everyone within miles of its launch.

    March 2009 2009

  • The Awakening For two weeks after March 11, Taichi Hirano stayed holed up in his Tokyo apartment, scared that explosions at the nuclear plant 130 miles away might irradiate the city.

    Japan's Way Back Daisuke Wakabayashi 2011

  • Also helpful would be to irradiate our produce, which neutralizes both harmful and harmless bacteria.

    E. coli and the Fear Factor Marc Siegel 2011

  • Official spokespeople fail to distinguish between exposure to radiation at a distance and tiny particles getting inside the body and causing cancer as they irradiate the cells right around them.

    Craig K. Comstock: "In God We Trust; All Other, Bring Data!" Craig K. Comstock 2011

  • Log in to Reply kiltedforbes (UID#3370) on November 15th, 2009 at 1: 29 pm burn it to the ground, grind the remains to dust, irradiate the ground so nothing ever grows then build a sewage treatment plant.

    mormon temple | My[confined]Space 2009

  • The sight is very pleasant to him, for his eyes glisten and a faint glow seems to irradiate his face and impart to it a hint of ecstasy.

    CHAPTER XIII 2010

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  • My luggage and my spinach may or may have not been given divine qualities.

    December 3, 2008