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radioactive

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Radioactive describes something that gives off energy waves called radiation. (adjective)

An example of radioactive is a nuclear bomb.

See radioactive in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

giving off, or capable of giving off, radiant energy in the form of particles or rays, as alpha, beta, and gamma rays, by the spontaneous disintegration of atomic nuclei: said of certain elements, as plutonium, radium, thorium, and uranium, and their products

Related Forms:

radioactively adverb
radioactivity noun

See radioactive in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(rāˌdē-ō-ăkˈtĭv)

adjective

Of, exhibiting, or caused by radioactivity.
Informal Extremely sensitive or controversial: “Perhaps race is now too radioactive a topic, in an era of political correctness” (David Nyhan).

Related Forms:

raˌdi·o·acˈtive·ly adverb

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