How to pronounce radiation
Say it like ray-dee-AY-shun. Radiation has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (AY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce radiation. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ray
- dee
- AY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Radiation pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- rayGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- deeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- AYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of radiation
American and British speakers say radiation in essentially the same way: /ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃən/ in the US and /ˌreɪdɪˈeɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: ray-dih-AY-shun.
What does radiation mean?
- energy that is radiated or transmitted in the form of rays or waves or particles
- the act of spreading outward from a central source
- syndrome resulting from exposure to ionizing radiation (e.g., exposure to radioactive chemicals or to nuclear explosions); low doses cause diarrhea and nausea and vomiting and sometimes loss of hair; greater exposure can cause sterility and cataracts and some forms of cancer and other diseases; severe exposure can cause death within hours“he was suffering from radiation”
Where does radiation come from?
Borrowed from Latin radiatio, radiationis.
Words that rhyme with radiation
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of radiation.
Questions about saying radiation
How do you pronounce radiation?
Say ray-dee-AY-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃən/. In British English it is /ˌreɪdɪˈeɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in radiation?
Radiation has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (AY). Broken into parts: ray · dee · AY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say radiation the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃən/ and the British form is /ˌreɪdɪˈeɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.