radiation (n.)

  1. energy that is radiated or transmitted in the form of rays or waves or particles

  2. the act of spreading outward from a central source

  3. syndrome resulting from exposure to ionizing radiation (e.g., exposure to radioactive chemicals or to nuclear explosions); low doses cause diarrhea and nausea and vomiting and sometimes loss of hair; greater exposure can cause sterility and cataracts and some forms of cancer and other diseases; severe exposure can cause death within hours; he was suffering from radiation

    [ Syn: radiation sickness , radiation syndrome ]

  4. the spontaneous emission of a stream of particles or electromagnetic rays in nuclear decay

    [ Syn: radioactivity ]

  5. the spread of a group of organisms into new habitats

  6. a radial arrangement of nerve fibers connecting different parts of the brain

  7. (medicine) the treatment of disease (especially cancer) by exposure to a radioactive substance

    [ Syn: radiotherapy , radiation therapy , actinotherapy , irradiation ]

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
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