English Explanatory Dictionary

X-ray

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A ray of short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation usually produced by bombarding a metal target in a vacuum. Used to create images of the internal structure of objects; this is possible because X-rays pass through most objects and can expose photographic film.
  2. A radiograph: an image made with X-rays.
  3. An X-ray machine, a machine for performing radiography.
  4. A tactical motif where a piece exerts influence or control over a square, piece, or line indirectly through another intervening piece.
verb
  1. To take a radiograph of; to obtain an image of using X-ray radiation, especially for the purpose of medical diagnostic evaluation.
  2. Of a piece, to exert indirect influence, by either attacking, defending, or controlling an opponent's or friendly piece through an intervening piece along a rank, file, or diagonal.
adj
  1. Of or relating to X-rays.
noun
  1. Alternative letter-case form of X-ray.
verb
  1. Alternative letter-case form of X-ray.

Pronunciation

/ˈɛks ɹeɪ/ /ˈɛks ˌɹeɪ/ en-us-X-ray.ogg

Word forms

X-ray X-rays Xray Ex-ray Ex ray X-raying X-rayed

Etymology

From X + ray, a calque of German X-Strahl, coined by Wilhelm Röntgen upon his discovery of the rays in 1895, where X signifies their unknown nature. The chess sense is metaphorical, referring to control passing through a seemingly solid barrier.

Synonyms

Röntgen radiation Roentgen-ray

Related words

gamma ray T-ray

Derived words

dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry hard X-ray soft X-ray X-ray absorbing glass X-ray astronomy X-ray binary X-ray crystallography X-ray diffraction X-ray fish X-ray fluorescence X-ray microscope X-ray photograph X-ray pulsar X-ray radiation X-ray specs X-ray spectacles X-ray spectrometry X-ray spectroscopy X-ray spectrum X-ray telescope X-ray tetra X-ray therapy X-ray tube X-ray vision
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
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