insolation

Meanings

1. The incident radiant energy emitted by the sun which reaches a unit area over a period of time, typically measured over a horizontal area at the Earth's surface or at the top of Earth's atmosphere.
2. The rate of delivery of such radiation.
3. The act or process of exposing to the rays of the sun, such as for the purpose of medical treatment, drying or maturing, as fruits, drugs, etc., or of rendering acid, as vinegar.
4. sunstroke.

Etymology

Borrowed from French insolation, from Latin insolatio (“a setting or placing in the sun”).