X-ray

 
Pronunciation: /ˈɛksreɪ/

noun

  • 1an electromagnetic wave of high energy and very short wavelength (between ultraviolet light and gamma rays), which is able to pass through many materials opaque to light: [as modifier]: an X-ray source
  • [as modifier] informal denoting an apparent or supposed faculty for seeing beyond an outward form: you didn’t need X-ray eyes to know what was going on
  • 2a photographic or digital image of the internal composition of something, especially a part of the body, produced by X-rays being passed through it and being absorbed to different degrees by different materials: the fracture was clearly visible on the X-ray we’ll take an X-ray
  • an act of making an X-ray of someone or something: he will have an X-ray today [mass noun]: would you send her for X-ray?
  • 3a code word representing the letter X, used in radio communication.

verb

[with object]
  • photograph or examine with X-rays: luggage bound for the hold is X-rayed

Origin:

translation of German X-Strahlen (plural), from X- (because, when discovered in 1895, the nature of the rays was unknown) + Strahl 'ray'