radioactivityEnglishOxford New American Dictionaryradioactivity /ˌrādēōakˈtivədē, ˌreɪdioʊækˈtɪvədi / ▸ noun the emission of ionizing radiation or particles caused by the spontaneous disintegration of atomic nuclei. ▪ radioactive substances, or the radiation emitted by these: an escape of radioactivity.