synchrotron radiation

noun

: radiation emitted by high-energy charged relativistic particles (such as electrons) when they are accelerated by a magnetic field (as in a nebula)

Examples of synchrotron radiation in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Using a combination of single-cell RNA sequencing, advanced microscopy and synchrotron radiation micro-CT scanning, the team of researchers mapped how cranial neural crest cells move through the developing shark head and eventually form the facial skeleton. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 Also, to verify this delicate arrangement, the researchers used powerful experimental tools, including neutron scattering and synchrotron radiation, which can probe magnetic structures at the atomic level. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026 Most recently, the lab has partnered with Argonne National Laboratory and used synchrotron radiation to get an ever-better look at the nanostructure of kingfisher feathers. — ArsTechnica, 18 Feb. 2026 Synchrotron cooling happens when high-speed electrons lose energy by emitting that aforementioned synchrotron radiation. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for synchrotron radiation

Word History

Etymology

from its having been first observed in a synchrotron

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of synchrotron radiation was in 1956

Rhymes for synchrotron radiation

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Browse Nearby Words

synchrotron
synchrotron radiation
Synchytrium
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Cite this Entry

“Synchrotron radiation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/synchrotron%20radiation. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on synchrotron radiation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about synchrotron radiation

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