diathermanous

A diathermanous greenhouse allows sunlight to warm the plants inside.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Permeable to radiant heat: "diathermanous" describes a substance or material that allows infrared radiation or heat rays to pass through it without being absorbed.

Usage Examples

• (Quartz permits the transmission of radiant heat.)
• (Glass allows heat radiation to pass through.)

Advanced Usage

• "diathermanous medium": a substance that transmits heat radiation.
  • A vacuum is a nearly perfect diathermanous medium. (A vacuum allows heat to pass without absorption.)

Variants and Related Words

• Diathermancy (noun): the quality or state of being diathermanous.

  • The diathermancy of the window was tested using a heat lamp. (The ability of the window to transmit heat was measured.)

• Athermanous (adjective): not permeable to radiant heat; opposite of diathermanous.

  • Metal is athermanous, blocking most heat radiation. (Metal does not allow heat to pass through.)

Synonyms

• Transparent to heat: allowing heat rays to pass through.
• Diathermic: a synonym often used in physics; capable of transmitting heat.

Related Idioms (None applicable)

• No common idioms or phrasal verbs are associated with "diathermanous" due to its technical nature.