radiant heat

Meanings

1. 1noununcountablephysics

   Warmth that travels as infrared rays directly from a hot object to other objects, without needing air or contact to carry it.

   Grammar: Not used with an or a plural: we felt radiant heat, not a radiant heat.

   Patterns

   • radiant heat from something
   • radiant heat of something

   You can feel the radiant heat from the campfire even when you sit a few meters away.

   Firefighters wear reflective suits to block the intense radiant heat.

   The sun's radiant heat warmed the stone wall all afternoon.

2. 2noununcountable

   A way of warming a room using hot panels, floors or ceilings that give off heat rays instead of blowing hot air.

   Grammar: Often used as a heating-system description: the house has radiant heat.

   Patterns

   • radiant heat in something

   We chose radiant heat under the bathroom tiles so the floor never feels cold.

   Radiant heat is quiet because no fans push air around.

   The old church was fitted with radiant heat in the ceiling panels.

Common combinations

intense radiant heat

Intense radiant heat from the fire cracked the windows across the street.

absorb radiant heat

Dark roofs absorb radiant heat and make attics hotter.

reflect radiant heat

Shiny foil can reflect radiant heat back into the room.

radiant heat barrier

A radiant heat barrier under the roof lowers cooling costs.

radiant heat panel

A radiant heat panel on the wall warmed the small office.

Synonyms and how they differ

thermal radiation

This is the scientific term for the same process and sounds more technical than radiant heat.

infrared heat

This names the type of ray involved and is common in product descriptions for heaters.

radiation

This is broader and can include light or X-rays, so it is less specific than radiant heat.

Opposites

Word family

radiate verb

to send out heat or light in all directions

radiation noun

energy sent out as waves or particles

radiator noun

a device that gives off heat

radiantly adverb

in a glowing or bright way

Commonly confused: radiant heat or convection?

Practice

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