ir ‧ ra ‧ di ‧ ate /ɪˈreɪdieɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive usually passive]
1 . technical if someone or something is irradiated, ↑ X-ray s or ↑ radioactive beams are passed through them
2 . technical if food is irradiated, it is treated with ↑ radiation in order to kill ↑ bacteria and make it last longer
3 . literary to make something look bright as if a light is shining onto it
—irradiation /ɪˌreɪdiˈeɪʃ ə n/ noun [uncountable]