Standard Lemma guide

radiate

adj · noun · verb · 25 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɹeɪdieɪt/
  • /ˈɹeɪdi.ət/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R EY1 D IY0 AH0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: R EY1 D IY0 EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Radiating from a center; having rays or parts diverging from a center; radiated.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a radiate crystal

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Surrounded by rays, such as the head of a saint in a religious picture; (heraldry) radiant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Having parts radiating from the center, like the petals in many flowers.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Consisting of a disc in which the florets are tubular.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Having radial symmetry, like a sea star.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Belonging to the Radiata.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

One of the Radiata.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To extend, send or spread out from a center like radii.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To emit rays or waves.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The stove radiates heat.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To come out or proceed in rays or waves.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • The heat radiates from a stove.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To illuminate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To expose to ionizing radiation, such as by radiography.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To manifest oneself in a glowing manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To spread into new habitats, migrate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Topics: biology, ecology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

verb

Meaning 15

To broadcast by radio.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

adjective satellite

Meaning 16

having rays or ray-like parts as in the flower heads of daisies

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

adjective satellite

Meaning 17

arranged like rays or radii; radiating from a common center

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • radial symmetry
  • a starlike or stellate arrangement of petals
  • many cities show a radial pattern of main highways

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: radial, stellate

Antonyms: none provided

18

verb

Meaning 18

send out real or metaphoric rays

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She radiates happiness

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: emit, breathe, pass off

19

verb

Meaning 19

spread into new habitats and produce variety or variegate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The plants on this island diversified

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: diversify

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, vary

20

verb

Meaning 20

issue or emerge in rays or waves

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Heat radiated from the metal box

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: issue, emerge, come out, come forth, go forth, egress

21

verb

Meaning 21

experience a feeling of well-being or happiness, as from good health or an intense emotion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She was beaming with joy
  • Her face radiated with happiness

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: glow, beam, shine

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: feel, experience

22

verb

Meaning 22

cause to be seen by emitting light as if in rays

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The sun is radiating

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cause to be perceived

Narrower terms: flash, blink, wink, twinkle, winkle, gleam, glimmer, glow

23

verb

Meaning 23

have a complexion with a strong bright color, such as red or pink

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Her face glowed when she came out of the sauna

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: glow, beam, shine

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: look, appear, seem

24

verb

Meaning 24

extend or spread outward from a center or focus or inward towards a center

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • spokes radiate from the hub of the wheel
  • This plants radiate spines in all directions

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ray

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: run, go, pass, lead, extend

25

verb

Meaning 25

send out rays or waves

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The sun radiates heat

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: emit, give out, give off

History

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin radiātus (see Etymology 1 and -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more).

From a substantivation of the above adjective through the associated taxon's name (Radiata), see -ate (noun-forming suffix).

Learned borrowing from Latin radiātus, perfect passive participle of radiō (“to radiate, furnish with spokes, give out rays, radiate, shine”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from radius (“a spoke, ray”).

Across languages

Translations

40 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: радиален (radialen) — radiating from a center
  • Finnish: säteilevä — radiating from a center
  • Finnish: säteilevä — surrounded by rays
  • Finnish: säteittäinen — having parts radiating from the center
  • Bulgarian: радиален (radialen) — having radial symmetry
  • Finnish: säteittäinen — having radial symmetry
  • Finnish: säteillä — to extend from a center
  • Italian: irradiare — to extend from a center
  • Serbo-Croatian: zráčiti — to extend from a center
  • Azerbaijani: saçmaq — to emit rays or waves
  • Bulgarian: излъчвам (izlǎčvam) — to emit rays or waves
  • Catalan: irradiar — to emit rays or waves
  • Finnish: säteillä — to emit rays or waves
  • Greek: ακτινοβολώ (aktinovoló) — to emit rays or waves
  • Hebrew: קָרַן (qarán) — to emit rays or waves
  • Latvian: izstarot — to emit rays or waves
  • Māori: hana — to emit rays or waves
  • Māori: hahana — to emit rays or waves
  • Romanian: iradia — to emit rays or waves
  • Serbo-Croatian: zráčiti — to emit rays or waves
  • Spanish: irradiar — to emit rays or waves
  • Finnish: säteillä — to come out or proceed in rays
  • Persian: فرتابیدن (fartâbidan) — to come out or proceed in rays
  • Serbo-Croatian: zráčiti — to come out or proceed in rays
  • Bulgarian: осветявам (osvetjavam) — to illuminate
  • Finnish: valaista — to illuminate
  • Romanian: ilumina — to illuminate
  • Serbo-Croatian: osvijétliti — to illuminate
  • Bulgarian: облъчвам (oblǎčvam) — to expose to ionizing radiation
  • Czech: ozářit — to expose to ionizing radiation
  • Finnish: säteilyttää — to expose to ionizing radiation
  • Finnish: altistaa säteilylle — to expose to ionizing radiation
  • German: strahlen — to expose to ionizing radiation
  • Greek: ακτινοβολώ (aktinovoló) — to expose to ionizing radiation
  • Latvian: apstarot — to expose to ionizing radiation
  • Serbo-Croatian: ozráčiti — to expose to ionizing radiation
  • Finnish: säteillä — to manifest in a glowing manner
  • Greek: ακτινοβολώ (aktinovoló) — to manifest in a glowing manner
  • Finnish: levitä — to spread into new habitats
  • Finnish: levittäytyä — to spread into new habitats