radiator
noun
Simple meaning
A device that lowers engine coolant temperature by conducting heat to the air, through metal fins.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
raydeeayterSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈɹeɪdieɪtɚ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
automotivemechanical
A device that lowers engine coolant temperature by conducting heat to the air, through metal fins.
Heater consisting of a series of pipes for circulating steam or hot water to heat rooms or buildings
of buildings
A finned metal fixture that carries hot water or steam in order to heat a room.
Anything which radiates or emits rays.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: (automotive, mechanical) A device that lowers engine coolant temperature by conducting heat to the air, through metal fins.
Used this way, radiator is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is an engineering use: it is a working term used for accuracy on the job.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Technical/specialist writing
- Science
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use radiator
- “Our car's radiator kept the engine from getting too hot on the long drive.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Cap on the opening in the top of a radiator through which a coolant liquid can be added.
Grating that admits cooling air to car's radiator.
A flexible hose between the radiator and the engine block.
A hypothetical object capable of absorbing all the electromagnetic radiation falling on it.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
A field that represents the energy lost from the radiator to space.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.