Fermi

[ fĕr′mē ]
Enrico 1901-1954

Italian-born American physicist who won a 1938 Nobel Prize for his research on neutrons. In 1942, with Leo Szilard, Fermi built the world's first nuclear reactor. He also discovered over 40 new isotopes, including the element fermium, which is named for him.

QUIZZES

CAN YOU FEEL THE WEAL WITH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ?

Did you collect all of last week’s words, but eftsoons forget what they mean? Don’t worry, we’re here to jog your memory. See how many words from the week of May 18 to 24 you can get right!
Question 1 of 7
weal
well-being, prosperity, or happiness.
the intervening time.
a somewhat prolonged, sharp, shrill cry, as of pain, fear, or surprise.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for fermi, enrico

Fermi, Enrico
[ (fur-mee, fer-mee) ]

An American physicist of the twentieth century, born in Italy. Fermi built the first nuclear reactor in the 1940s under the stands of a football field at the University of Chicago.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.