millirem: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low/Very Low (Specialist Technical)Formal Technical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “millirem” mean?
A unit of radiation dose equivalent, equal to one thousandth of a rem.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A unit of radiation dose equivalent, equal to one thousandth of a rem.
A small, precise measurement of absorbed radiation dose, used in health physics and radiological protection to quantify the biological effect of ionizing radiation on humans.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant usage difference, as it is a standard international scientific unit. The spelling is consistent.
Connotations
Purely technical and neutral; associated with safety protocols, medical imaging, and nuclear industry.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both dialects, confined to highly specialized technical contexts. The related SI unit millisievert (mSv) is now more common internationally, but millirem persists in some US contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “millirem” in a Sentence
A dose of [NUMBER] milliremExposure was [NUMBER] milliremMeasured in milliremVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “millirem” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The millirem reading was negligible.
- They discussed the millirem limit for workers.
American English
- The millirem measurement was taken quarterly.
- We need a millirem equivalent calculation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used except in specific industries like nuclear energy or medical device manufacturing in regulatory compliance reports.
Academic
Used in physics, medical radiology, nuclear engineering, and environmental health research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be encountered in news articles about nuclear incidents or debates on radiation safety.
Technical
Primary context. Used in radiation protection guidelines, dosimetry reports, safety standards, and instrument calibration.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “millirem”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “millirem”
- Misspelling as 'milli-rem' or 'milli rem' (though sometimes seen with a hyphen).
- Confusing 'rem' (old unit) with 'rad' (absorbed dose) or 'roentgen' (exposure).
- Using it in non-scientific contexts where it would be meaningless.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It measures the biological effect (equivalent dose) of ionizing radiation on human tissue.
In international science and medicine, the millisievert (mSv) is the standard SI unit. Millirem is still used in some US contexts, but is considered a legacy unit.
There are 1,000 millirem in one rem.
No, it is a very small dose. For perspective, the average person in the US receives about 300-600 millirem of radiation per year from natural and man-made sources.
A unit of radiation dose equivalent, equal to one thousandth of a rem.
Millirem is usually formal technical/scientific in register.
Millirem: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɪl.ɪˌrem/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɪl.əˌrɛm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: MILLIgram is a tiny weight, MILLIrem is a tiny radiation dose. REM stands for 'Roentgen Equivalent Man'.
Conceptual Metaphor
RADIATION DOSE IS A MEASURABLE QUANTITY / SAFETY IS STAYING BELOW A THRESHOLD.
Practice
Quiz
What is a millirem?