radioactive

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled radio-active

US /ˌɹeɪdioʊˈæktɪv/ UK /ˌɹeɪdiəʊˈaktɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #9661

Meanings

1

adj
exhibiting or caused by radioactivity

Radioactive isotope.
2

adj
Exhibiting radioactivity.

As a matter of fact many of our best drinking waters have all sorts of unspecified qualities. Burton water, for example, is radioactive by Beetham's standards up to the ninth degree.
3

adj
Dangerous and disgusting, particularly of people or ideas.

Even sleazy tactics and his radioactive mouth may not be able to contain this debacle.
4

noun
Any radioactive substance.

Any ship nearby will receive a lethal dose of gamma rays, neutrons, and other radioactives.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms nonradioactive

Derived forms nonradioactiveradioactivateradioactivelyradioactivity

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

radioactive isotope
an isotope with an unstable nucleus that releases radiation as it decays

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Coined by Pierre Curie and Marie Curie in 1898 as French radio-actif, equivalent to English radio- + active.

Topics

Describing Qualities Physics Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# radioactive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɹeɪdioʊˈæktɪv/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɹeɪdiəʊˈaktɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 9661

## Meanings
1. exhibiting or caused by radioactivity
2. Exhibiting radioactivity.
3. Dangerous and disgusting, particularly of people or ideas.
4. Any radioactive substance.

## Examples
- Radioactive isotope.
- As a matter of fact many of our best drinking waters have all sorts of unspecified qualities. Burton water, for example, is radioactive by Beetham's standards up to the ninth degree.
- Even sleazy tactics and his radioactive mouth may not be able to contain this debacle.
- Any ship nearby will receive a lethal dose of gamma rays, neutrons, and other radioactives.

## Derived Forms
- nonradioactive
- radioactivate
- radioactively
- radioactivity

## Etymology
Coined by Pierre Curie and Marie Curie in 1898 as French radio-actif, equivalent to English radio- + active.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Physics
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown