radioactive C2 Topic:Science & Research 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 Common collocations radioactive isotope Adjective + noun Etymology Coined by Pierre Curie and Marie Curie in 1898 as French radio-actif, equivalent to English radio- + active. Topics Science & Research External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # 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 - Science & Research markdown