Irradiate

• POS: Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ir=ra=di=ate

CIDE DICTIONARY

Irradiate, v. t. [L. irradiatus, p. p. of irradiate. See In- in, and Radiate.].

•  To throw rays of light upon; to illuminate; to brighten; to adorn with luster.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thy smile irradiates yon blue fields."  [1913 Webster]
•  To enlighten intellectually; to illuminate; as, to irradiate the mind.  Bp. Bull.  [1913 Webster]
•  To animate by heat or light.  Sir M. Hale.  [1913 Webster]
•  To radiate, shed, or diffuse.  [1913 Webster]

  "A splendid fairradiating hospitality."  [1913 Webster]
•  To expose to radiation of any kind, especially ionizing radiation; as, to sterilize food by irradiating it with gamma rays; one can cause mutations in bacteria by irradiating them with ultraviolet light.  [PJC]

Irradiate, v. i. 

 To emit rays; to shine.  [1913 Webster]

Irradiate, a. [L. irradiatus, p. p.].

 Illuminated; irradiated.  Mason.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Irradiate, v.tr.
1 subject to (any form of) radiation.
2 shine upon; light up.
3 throw light on (a subject).

Derivative

irradiative adj.

Etymology

L irradiare irradiat- (as IN-(2), radiare f. radius RAY(1))

THESAURUS

Irradiate

X-ray, activate, anhydrate, beacon, blast-freeze, brighten, brighten up, brine, charge, contaminate, corn, cure, dehydrate, desiccate, dry, dry-cure, dry-salt, edify, embalm, enlighten, evaporate, flood with light, floodlight, freeze, freeze-dry, fume, highlight, illume, illuminate, illumine, improve, infect, jerk, kipper, light, light up, lighten, luminate, marinade, marinate, mummify, overshine, pickle, poison, preservatize, quick-freeze, radiumize, refrigerate, relume, relumine, roentgenize, salt, season, shed light upon, shine upon, smoke, smoke-cure, spotlight, stuff, throw light upon, uplift

ROGET THESAURUS

Irradiate

Light

VB shine, glow, glitter, glister, glisten, twinkle, gleam, flare, flare up, glare, beam, shimmer, glimmer, flicker, sparkle, scintillate, coruscate, flash, blaze, be bright, reflect light, daze, dazzle, bedazzle, radiate, shoot out beams, fulgurate, clear up, brighten, lighten, enlighten, levin, light, light up, irradiate, shine upon, give out a light, hang out a light, cast light upon, cast light in, throw light upon, throw light in, shed light upon, shed luster upon, illume, illumine, illuminate, relume, strike a light, kindle.