Meaning & use
X-rays
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“X-rays” is a form of “X-ray”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluralmedical
Pictures of the inside of the body, especially bones, made by passing a type of radiation through it onto film or a screen.
Grammar: Plural of X-ray: one X-ray, several X-rays.
Patterns
- have X-rays taken
- X-rays of something
The doctor ordered X-rays of her broken wrist.
Dentists take X-rays to check teeth below the gum line.
The X-rays showed a small crack in the bone.
nounpluralphysicstechnical
Invisible waves of high-energy radiation that can pass through soft materials and are used in medicine, security checks and science.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun for the radiation itself: X-rays can pass through skin.
Patterns
- X-rays pass through something
- exposure to X-rays
X-rays can pass through skin but are blocked by bone.
Astronomers study X-rays from distant stars.
Airport machines use X-rays to scan luggage.
Word forms
| singular | X-ray |
|---|
Common combinations
- take X-rays
- The dentist took X-rays of both sides of her jaw.
- have X-rays taken
- He had X-rays taken after the fall.
- chest X-rays
- Chest X-rays showed that her lungs were clear.
- dental X-rays
- Dental X-rays reveal hidden cavities.
- X-rays show
- The X-rays show a healed fracture.
Synonyms and how they differ
- radiographs
- Radiographs is the formal medical word for X-ray images, while X-rays is the everyday word that also names the radiation.
- scans
- Scans is a wider word that includes CT and MRI pictures, whereas X-rays are one specific kind.
- imaging
- Imaging is an uncountable umbrella term for all methods of making body pictures, while X-rays are a single method.
Word family
Commonly confused: X-rays or gamma rays? X-rays or ultrasound?
X-rays vs gamma rays
Gamma rays are even more energetic than X-rays and come from nuclear processes, though both can pass through matter.
X-rays vs ultrasound
Ultrasound uses sound waves rather than radiation, so it is a different kind of body scan.
Practice
The doctor sent her for ___ to see whether her ankle was broken.
Choose one answer.
X-rays produce images of bones, so they show a break. Blood tests, vaccinations and check-ups do not make pictures of the bones.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “X-rays”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.