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rad

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rad

1[rad]
–noun Physics.
a unit of absorbed dose equal to 0.01 Gy. Compare dose (def. 4a).

Origin:
1915–20; shortened form of radiation

rad

2[rad]
–noun
1. Informal. radical.
–adjective
2. Slang. fine; wonderful.

Origin:
by shortening of radical

rad

Mathematics.
radian; radians.

rad.

Mathematics.
1. radical.
2. radix.

ra⋅di⋅an

[rey-dee-uhn]
–noun Mathematics.
the measure of a central angle subtending an arc equal in length to the radius: equal to 57.2958°. Abbreviation: rad

Origin:
1875–80; radi(us) + -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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rad 1   (rād)   
n.  A unit of energy absorbed from ionizing radiation, equal to 100 ergs per gram or 0.01 joules per kilogram of irradiated material. It has been replaced as a standard scientific unit by the gray.

[r(adiation) a(bsorbed) d(ose).]
rad 2   (rād)   
adj.   Slang
Excellent; wonderful.

[Short for radical.]
rad 3  
abbr.  radian
ra·di·an   (rā'dē-ən)   
n.   Abbr. rad
A unit of angular measure equal to the angle subtended at the center of a circle by an arc equal in length to the radius of the circle, approximately 57°17'44.6". See Table at measurement.

[radi(us) + -an1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

rad

An acronym for radiation absorbed dose. A unit of energy absorbed from ionizing radiation.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
rad [ræd]

  1. n.
    a radical person. (California.) : My brother is a rad, but he's a good guy.
  2. mod.
    great; wonderful; excellent; exciting. (California. From radical.) : Oh my God, that's, like, really rad!
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

rad 
"x-ray dose unit," 1918, shortened form of radiation (q.v.). As shortened form of radical (n.), it is attested in political slang from 1820. Teen slang sense of "extraordinary, wonderful" is from late 1970s (see radical).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: rad
Pronunciation: 'rad
Function: noun
: a unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of 100 ergs per gram of irradiatedmaterial

Main Entry: rad
Function: abbreviation
Etymology: Latin radix
root —used in writing prescriptions

Main Entry: ra·di·an
Pronunciation: 'rAd-E-&n
Function: noun
: a unit of plane angular measurement that is equal to the angle at the centerof a circle subtended by an arc equal in length to the radius
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

rad 1 (rād)
n.
A unit of energy absorbed from ionizing radiation, equal to 100 ergs per gram or 0.01 joule per kilogram of irradiated material.

rad 2
abbr.
radian

radian ra·di·an (rā'dē-ən)
n.
Abbr. rad
A unit of angular measure equal to the angle subtended at the center of a circle by an arc equal in length to the radius of the circle.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
rad   (rād)  Pronunciation Key 
A unit used to measure energy absorbed by a material from radiation. One rad is equal to 100 ergs per gram of material. Many scientists now measure this energy in grays rather than in rads.
radian   (rā'dē-ən)  Pronunciation Key 
A supplementary unit of the International System used in angular measure. One radian is equal to the angle subtended at the center of a circle by an arc equal in length to the radius of the circle, approximately 57°17'44.6".
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Computing Dictionary

RAD programming
Rapid Application Development.

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Abbreviations & Acronyms
rad
  1. radian

  2. radiation absorbed dose

  3. Slang radical (that is, excellent)

RAD
Royal Academy of Dancing
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

rad

the unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation, defined in 1962 by the International Commission on Radiological Units and Measurements as equal to the amount of radiation that releases an energy of 100 ergs per gram of matter. One rad is equal approximately to the absorbed dose delivered when soft tissue is exposed to one roentgen of medium-voltage radiation. "Rad" is derived from "radiation absorbed dose." In 1975 it was replaced by the gray (Gy), equal to 100 rads, in the International System of Units (SI). The rad is used now only in the United States.

Learn more about rad with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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