Reference  |  Webster's Dictionary  |  R  |  Radial to Radius

R — Radial to Radius (Part 1 of 6)

Radial
(Ra"di*al) a. [Cf. F. radial. See Radius.] Of or pertaining to a radius or ray; consisting of, or like, radii or rays; radiated; as, (Bot.) radial projections; (Zoöl.) radial vessels or canals; (Anat.) the radial artery.

Radial symmetry. (Biol.) See under Symmetry.

Radiale
(||Ra`di*a"le) n.; pl. Radialia (- li*a) [NL. See Radial.]

1. (Anat.) The bone or cartilage of the carpus which articulates with the radius and corresponds to the scaphoid bone in man.

2. pl. (Zoöl.) Radial plates in the calyx of a crinoid.

Radially
(Ra"di*al*ly) adv. In a radial manner.

Radian
(Ra"di*an) n. [From Radius.] (Math.) An arc of a circle which is equal to the radius, or the angle measured by such an arc.

Radiance
(Ra"di*ance Ra"di*an*cy) (- an*sy), n. The quality of being radiant; brilliancy; effulgence; vivid brightness; as, the radiance of the sun.

Girt with omnipotence, with radiance crowned.
Milton.
What radiancy of glory,
What light beyond compare !
Neale.

Syn. — Luster; brilliancy; splendor; glare; glitter.

Radiant
(Ra"di*ant) a. [L. radians, -antis, p. pr. of radiare to emit rays or beams, fr. radius ray: cf. F. radiant. See Radius, Ray a divergent line.]

1. Emitting or proceeding as from a center; resembling rays; radiating; radiate.

2. Especially, emitting or darting rays of light or heat; issuing in beams or rays; beaming with brightness; emitting a vivid light or splendor; as, the radiant sun.

Mark what radiant state she spreads.
Milton.

3. Beaming with vivacity and happiness; as, a radiant face.

4. (Her.) Giving off rays; — said of a bearing; as, the sun radiant; a crown radiant.

5. (Bot.) Having a raylike appearance, as the large marginal flowers of certain umbelliferous plants; — said also of the cluster which has such marginal flowers.

Radiant energy (Physics), energy given out or transmitted by radiation, as in the case of light and radiant heat. — Radiant heat, heat proceeding in right lines, or directly from the heated body, after the manner of light, in distinction from heat conducted or carried by intervening media. — Radiant point. (Astron.) See Radiant, n., 3.

Radiant
(Ra"di*ant), n.

1. (Opt.) The luminous point or object from which light emanates; also, a body radiating light brightly.

2. (Geom.) A straight line proceeding from a given point, or fixed pole, about which it is conceived to revolve.