Phrase guide

radioactive decay

noun · 2 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

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of several processes by which unstable nuclei emit subatomic particles and/or ionizing radiation and disintegrate into one or more other nuclei.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: nuclear physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance along with the emission of ionizing radiation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: decay, disintegration

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: nuclear reaction

Narrower terms: alpha decay, beta decay

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: radioaktivní rozpad — physical process
  • Danish: radioaktivt henfald — physical process
  • Finnish: hajoaminen — physical process
  • Georgian: რადიოაქტიური დაშლა (radioakṭiuri dašla) — physical process
  • German: radioaktiver Zerfall — physical process
  • Indonesian: peluruhan radioaktif — physical process
  • Kannada: ವಿಕಿರಣ ಪಟುತ್ವ (vikiraṇa paṭutva) — physical process
  • Malay: reputan radioaktif — physical process
  • Polish: rozpad jądrowy — physical process
  • Portuguese: decaimento radioativo — physical process
  • Portuguese: decaimento radiativo — physical process
  • Spanish: decaimiento radiactivo — physical process
  • Swedish: radioaktivt sönderfall — physical process
  • Swedish: sönderfall — physical process
  • Turkish: radyoaktif bozunum — physical process
  • Turkish: radyoaktif parçalanma — physical process
  • Ukrainian: радіоакти́вний ро́зпад (radioaktývnyj rózpad) — physical process