radiate

/ˈɹeɪdieɪt/

//ˈɹeɪdieɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"radiate" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“radiate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #30,557 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#30,557
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To extend, send or spread out from a center like radii.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

radiate vs radiator
75% similar
radiate vs radial
71% similar
radiate vs radiant
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for radiate
PropertyValue
Headwordradiate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɹeɪdieɪt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#30,557
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “radiate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). radiate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for radiate is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹeɪdieɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #30,557 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for radiate, with forms such as "ardiate", "radaite", and "raddiate". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "radiator", "radial", "radiant", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Learned borrowing from Latin radiātus, perfect passive participle of radiō (“to radiate, furnish with spokes, give out rays, radiate, shine”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from radius (“a spoke, ray”). The correct English form is radiate, spelled R-A-D-I-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To extend, send or spread out from a center like radii.
  2. 2
    To emit rays or waves.
  3. 3
    To come out or proceed in rays or waves.
  4. 4
    To illuminate.
  5. 5
    To expose to ionizing radiation, such as by radiography.
  6. 6
    To manifest oneself in a glowing manner.
  7. 7
    To spread into new habitats, migrate.
  8. 8
    To broadcast by radio.

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin radiātus, perfect passive participle of radiō (“to radiate, furnish with spokes, give out rays, radiate, shine”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from radius (“a spoke, ray”).

Synonyms

irradiate

This word in other languages

strahlen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ardiate,radaite,raddiate,radiaet,radiatte,raditae,raidate,rdaiate,rradiate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of radiate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ardiate2radaite2raddiate1radiaet2radiatte1raditae2raidate2rdaiate2
Edit distance from "radiate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "radiate"?
"radiate" is spelled R-A-D-I-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹeɪdieɪt/.
What does "radiate" mean?
As a verb, "radiate" means: To extend, send or spread out from a center like radii.
What words are commonly confused with "radiate"?
"radiate" is commonly confused with "radiator", "radial", "radiant". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "radiate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "radiate" is /ˈɹeɪdieɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "radiate"?
Learned borrowing from Latin radiātus, perfect passive participle of radiō (“to radiate, furnish with spokes, give out rays, radiate, shine”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from radius (“a spoke, ray”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “radiate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-A-D-I-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹeɪdieɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “radiator” - see the side-by-side comparison. radiate vs radiator
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list