radiocarbon

American

[rey-dee-oh-kahr-buhn] / ˌreɪ di oʊˈkɑr bən /

noun

Chemistry.

Also called carbon 14. a radioactive isotope of carbon with mass number 14 and a half-life of about 5730 years: widely used in the dating of organic materials.
any radioactive isotope of carbon.

radiocarbon British

/ ˌreɪdɪəʊˈkɑːbən /

noun

a radioactive isotope of carbon, esp carbon-14 See carbon

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

radiocarbon Scientific

/ rā′dē-ō-kär′bən /

A radioactive isotope of carbon, especially carbon 14. Other radiocarbons include carbon 10, carbon 11, carbon 15, and carbon 16.

Etymology

Origin of radiocarbon

First recorded in 1935–40; radio- + carbon

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Using radiocarbon dating along with genetic and protein testing, the team confirmed that the Late Bronze Age specimens are the oldest goat remains yet identified in Ireland.

From Science Daily

They used radiocarbon dating to determine age and applied gas chromatography -- mass spectrometry to identify the caulking's chemical makeup.

From Science Daily

The exact burial location of the Beachy Head Woman remains unknown, but radiocarbon dating indicates she died between 129 and 311 AD, aligning with the Roman period in Britain.

From Science Daily

The team measured how much of each material was present and used radiocarbon and lead dating to determine when the layers formed.

From Science Daily

Scientists' latest discovery is based on DNA analysis of the skeleton, which has been radiocarbon dated to between 129 and 311 AD.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023