emit

[ih-mit]

verb (used with object)

emitted, emitting 

1. to send forth (liquid, light, heat, sound, particles, etc.); discharge.

2. to give forth or release (a sound).

   He emitted one shrill cry and then was silent.

3. to utter or voice, as opinions.

4. to issue, as an order or a decree.

5. to issue formally for circulation, as paper money.

emit

/ ɪˈmɪt /

verb

1. to give or send forth; discharge

   the pipe emitted a stream of water

2. to give voice to; utter

   she emitted a shrill scream

3. physics to give off (radiation or particles)

4. to put (currency) into circulation

Other Word Forms

• reemit verb (used with object)
• self-emitted adjective
• unemitted adjective
• unemitting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of emit¹

First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin ēmittere “to send forth,” from ē- e- ¹ + mittere “to let go, send”

Word History and Origins

Origin of emit¹

C17: from Latin ēmittere to send out, from mittere to send

Example Sentences

The Permian Basin — the country’s largest oil field, which straddles the Texas-New Mexico border — was estimated by a 2024 study to emit the second-most methane of any oil field in the world.

From Salon

For comparison, it is more than the total annual CO2 emitted by all of Croatia in 2023.

From BBC

In the film, as Lubin nicely puts it, he and Swanson “are the equivalent of celestial stars, whose light reaches our eyes long after they have ceased to emit it.”

From Los Angeles Times

When the drones detect the predators, they shine a spotlight on them and emit alarming sounds from loudspeakers to scare them away.

From Los Angeles Times

The EU predicts that by 2035, the regulations will reduce the particles emitted from the brakes of cars and vans by 27%.

From BBC

Related Words

• beam 
• belch 
• breathe 
• emanate 
• exhale 
• expend 
• exude 
• give off 
• ooze 
• pour 
• radiate 
• secrete 
• spew 
• spill 
• spit 
• transmit 
• utter 
• vent 

When To Use

What does emit mean?

Emit means to release or discharge something, such as gas, liquid, heat, sound, light, or radiation.The process of emitting is called emission. Emission can also refer to something that has been emitted. A specific example of an emission is the exhaust emitted from cars (in the U.S., such emissions are regulated through emissions tests). This exhaust is just one form of carbon emissions—greenhouse gases emitted from various sources that are known to contribute to global warming and climate change.In things like TVs and light bulbs, the term LED stands for “light-emitting diode,” a semiconductor device that emits light when conducting current.Emit usually implies that things are being released in a passive way, but some senses of the word are more active.Emit sometimes specifically means to give off or make a sound, as in My cat emitted the worst sound when I accidentally stepped on his tail. It can also be used in a somewhat figurative way meaning to say or voice, as in She certainly emitted her opinion. Example: Collectively, volcanoes emit carbon dioxide at far lower levels than cars and airplanes.