irradiate

Meanings

Verb

give spiritual insight to; in religion
cast rays of light upon
expose to radiation
- "irradiate food"
To send out (heat, light, or some other form of radiation) in the form of rays; to radiate.
To make (someone or something) bright by shining light on them or it; to brighten, to illuminate.
To apply radiation other than visible light to (someone or something).
To treat (food) with ionizing radiation to destroy pathogens.
To apply radiation other than visible light to (someone or something).
To treat (a patient, or a cancerous growth or tumour) with radiation.
To animate or enliven (one's mood, or soul or spirit).
To cause (one's face) to look beautiful, happy, or lively; to light up.
To decorate (a place) splendidly.
To enlighten (someone, their mind, etc.) intellectually or spiritually; to illuminate, to shed light on.
To send out (something) as if in the form of rays; to diffuse, to radiate, to shed.
To influence (something) as if with rays of heat, light, etc.
To become bright; to brighten, to light up.
Often followed by on or upon: to emit rays of light; to shine.
To emit something other than light; to radiate.
To diverge or be sent out in the form of rays.

Adj

Made brilliant or bright; irradiated, illuminated.
Made splendid or wonderful.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English irradiate (“illuminated, shining”), borrowed from Medieval Latin irradiātus, perfect passive participle of irradiō, from ir- (“against; into; on, upon”) + radiō (“to cause to radiate, irradiate; to emit beams, radiate”), from radius (“ray of light; rod, staff; spoke of a wheel”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix) (further etymology uncertain; possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *reh₁t- (“beam; pole; post”)). The adjective is attested earlier than the verb.
The English word is analysable as in- (“against; into; on, upon”) + radiate.

Synonyms

alight, belight, beshine, bright, enlighten, fire, illume, illuminate, illumine, illustrate, irradiate, light, light up, lighten, luster, lustrate, ray, shed light on

Scrabble Score: 10

irradiate is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
irradiate is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
irradiate is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

irradiate is a valid Words With Friends word