radiator

noun

ra·​di·​a·​tor ˈrā-dē-ˌā-tər How to pronounce radiator (audio)
 dialectal  ˈra-
: one that radiates: such as
a
: any of various devices (such as a series of pipes or tubes) for transferring heat from a fluid within to an area or object outside
b
: a transmitting antenna

Examples of radiator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Designer radiators use similar colors, but often have different slat patterns and additional accessories that set them apart. Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Mar. 2024 The radiators in my house have been unreliable for years, heating some rooms like a sauna and skipping others altogether. Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 As if the radiator’s been storing some of the power coming through it. Karl Schroeder, IEEE Spectrum, 24 Feb. 2024 Two electric radiators were not enough to keep Russian pensioner Elena Grezkaya-Silko from shivering in her one-bedroom apartment. Yuliya Talmazan, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2024 Otherwise, the acoustic strums and percussive hits are bright and crisp, while the passive radiators do a decent job of bulking up the lows. PCMAG, 6 Feb. 2024 An 11-month-old baby boy has died after being burned by steam leaking from a radiator inside a Brooklyn apartment, according to the New York City Police Department. USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2024 In between, the bodywork swoops and swirls, forming a slender fuel tank, narrow waist and even radiator shrouds that incorporate down-force winglets, all blended together into an almost beetle-like body structure that houses the engine, frame and suspension components. William Roberson, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Given the cold weather persistently coming through the drafty bay windows of tenement flats in Glasgow, my mother would neatly stack the plates in the groove of the radiator to heat them up and set the table with a bright red tablecloth, the color of luck over the festivities. Julie Lin, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'radiator.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of radiator was in 1836

Dictionary Entries Near radiator

Cite this Entry

“Radiator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radiator. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

radiator

noun
ra·​di·​a·​tor ˈrād-ē-ˌāt-ər How to pronounce radiator (audio)
: one that radiates
especially : any of various devices (as a set of pipes or tubes) for transferring heat from a fluid within to an area or object outside

More from Merriam-Webster on radiator

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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