ETYM Latin, a staff, rod, spoke of a wheel, radius, ray. Related to Ray a divergent line.
1. A circular region whose area is indicated by the length of its radius.
2. A straight line from the center to the perimeter of a circle (or from the center to the surface of a sphere).
3. The length of a line segment between the center and circumference of a circle or sphere; SYN. r.