rad

1 of 3

noun

: a unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material

rad

2 of 3

adjective

rad

3 of 3

abbreviation

1
radian
2
radius
3
radix

Examples of rad in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
There’s also a video interview where the pregnant Kirby talks about her childbirth scene in the movie, a sneak peek at the film’s fantastic foes (including Julia Garner’s rad Silver Surfer), plus updates to our Marvel movie ranking and franchise viewing order. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 July 2025 Learn about all the extra rad benefits and become a member yourself at Outside Online Dot Com Slash Pod Plus. Outside Online, 23 July 2025 An actual floppy disk drive for old games would have been rad, though, as would a crusty 28K modem to use for dial-up internet. Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 In the comics, the character was a soulful alien with a totally rad interstellar surfboard and a lot of existential ennui. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for rad

Word History

Etymology

Noun

radiation absorbed dose

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1953, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1982, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rad was circa 1953

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rad. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

Medical Definition

rad

1 of 2 noun
: a unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material

rad

2 of 2 abbreviation
root
used in writing prescriptions
Etymology

Abbreviation

Latin radix

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