Xray

1 of 3

communications code word

used as a code word for the letter x

x-ray

2 of 3

verb

x-rayed; x-raying; x-rays
often capitalized

transitive verb

: to examine, treat, or photograph with X-rays

X-ray

3 of 3

noun

1
: any of the electromagnetic radiations that have an extremely short wavelength of less than 100 angstroms and have the properties of penetrating various thicknesses of all solids, of producing secondary radiations by impinging on material bodies, and of acting on photographic films and plates as light does
2
: a photograph obtained by use of X-rays
X-ray adjective

Examples of Xray in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
In this study, due to be presented next week at an annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), a team of radiologists and endocrinologists—specializing in x-rays and hormones, respectively—investigated the relationship between levothyroxine and bone loss over time. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024 The Raleigh Police and Fire Departments quickly responded to the incident and bomb technicians x-rayed the package, according to Lt. Jason Borneo of the Raleigh Police Department. Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
Dental X-rays can determine whether inflammation has spread beyond the tooth apex (the tip of the tooth's root) and rule out other conditions. Laura Schober, Health, 1 Dec. 2024 By integrating X-rays, CT scans, or other data directly into the surgical field, AR is said to help improve precision and saves time in operating rooms. Anisha Sircar, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Xray 

Word History

First Known Use

Communications Code Word

1943, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1899, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Xray was in 1896

Dictionary Entries Near Xray

x-ray

Xray

X-ray

Cite this Entry

“Xray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Xray. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

x-ray

1 of 2 verb
ˈeks-ˌrā
often capitalized X
: to examine, treat, or photograph with X-rays

X-ray

2 of 2 noun
ˈeks-ˌrā
1
: an electromagnetic radiation of an extremely short wavelength that is able to penetrate various thicknesses of solids and to act on photographic film as light does
2
: a photograph taken by the use of X-rays
X-ray adjective
Etymology

Noun

from German X-Strahl "X-ray," from the use of x to represent an unknown value

Word Origin
In 1895, a German scientist, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, was experimenting with an electric current passing through a vacuum in a glass tube. He found that a piece of material that glows only when electricity passes through it began to glow even though it was not inside the tube. Röntgen tried to shield the material from the tube. However, he found that the material glowed even when it was shielded by paper or wood. Only a shield of metal stopped the glowing. He guessed that an unknown invisible ray created inside the glass tube was causing this to happen. Since he knew nothing about this mysterious ray, Röntgen called it X-Strahl in German, which translates as X-ray in English. He was using the letter x, which had long been used in mathematics for an unknown value.

Medical Definition

x-ray

1 of 2 transitive verb
often capitalized X
: to examine, treat, or photograph with X-rays

X-ray

2 of 2 noun
1
: any of the electromagnetic radiations of the same nature as visible radiation but of an extremely short wavelength less than 100 angstroms that is produced by bombarding a metallic target with fast electrons in vacuum or by transition of atoms to lower energy states and that has the properties of ionizing a gas upon passage through it, of penetrating various thicknesses of all solids, of producing secondary radiations by impinging on material bodies, of acting on photographic films and plates as light does, and of causing fluorescent screens to emit light

called also roentgen ray

2
: a photograph obtained by use of X-rays
a chest X-ray
X-ray adjective
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!