noun
Uncommon
rutherford
RUH-thuhr-fuhrd
Rutherford (noun) means an old unit of radioactivity, symbol rd, equal to one million radioactive decays per second. Example: “Early nuclear physics papers sometimes measured activity in rutherfords rather than becquerels.”
noun
1
An old unit of radioactivity, symbol rd, equal to one million radioactive decays per second.
"Early nuclear physics papers sometimes measured activity in rutherfords rather than becquerels."
How to use rutherford
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn outdated scientific unit for measuring how radioactive something is.
When to use it
Obsolete — modern science uses the becquerel instead.
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Word forms
- Plural
- rutherfords
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Early nuclear physics papers sometimes measured activity in _____ rather than becquerels.
Etymology
Named after the physicist Ernest Rutherford, a pioneer of nuclear physics.
Rhymes for rutherford
See all rhymes for rutherford →Frequently asked questions
What does “rutherford” mean?
The word “rutherford” means an old unit of radioactivity, symbol rd, equal to one million radioactive decays per second. In plain terms, an outdated scientific unit for measuring how radioactive something is.
How do you pronounce “rutherford”?
“Rutherford” is pronounced RUH-thuhr-fuhrd (/ˈrʌðərfərd/ in IPA).
How do you use “rutherford” in a sentence?
Here is “rutherford” used in a sentence: “Early nuclear physics papers sometimes measured activity in rutherfords rather than becquerels.”
What part of speech is “rutherford”?
“Rutherford” is a noun.
Is “rutherford” a common word?
“Rutherford” is an uncommon word in modern English.
