reactor

[ree-ak-ter]

noun

1. a person or thing that reacts or undergoes reaction.

2. Electricity.,  a device whose primary purpose is to introduce reactance into a circuit.

3. Immunology, Veterinary Medicine.,  a patient or animal that reacts positively towards a foreign material.

4. Physics.,  nuclear reactor.

5. Chemistry.,  (especially in industry) a large container, as a vat, for processes in which the substances involved undergo a chemical reaction.

reactor

/ rɪˈæktə /

noun

1. chem a substance, such as a reagent, that undergoes a reaction

2. short for nuclear reactor

3. a vessel, esp one in industrial use, in which a chemical reaction takes place

4. a coil of low resistance and high inductance that introduces reactance into a circuit

5. med a person sensitive to a particular drug or agent

Other Word Forms

• nonreactor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of reactor¹

First recorded in 1885–90; 1940–45 reactor for def. 4; react + -or ²

Example Sentences

The company’s “micro-modular” reactor is designed to be built in a cube that can be placed almost anywhere—including at remote mining locations that can’t easily get power from the grid.

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These prevent nuclear waste and nuclear fuel in the reactors from heating up and causing radiation leakage.

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One of Ms. Badenoch’s best zingers: “While Britain was redefining what a woman is, China was building five nuclear reactors.”

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The stunt was pulled off by activists aiming to save the reactor, taking a page from the antinuclear playbook of Greenpeace and other groups who long sought to close it.

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Crucially, the firm expects Oklo’s reactor buildouts to be financed with debt and supported by investment tax credits, a mix that “could help bolster long-term returns on capital with, potentially, minimal requirements for additional equity.”

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