nuclear

[noo-klee-er, nyoo-, -kyuh-ler]

adjective

1. pertaining to or involving atomic weapons.

   nuclear war.

2. operated or powered by atomic energy.

   a nuclear submarine.

3. (of a nation or group of nations) having atomic weapons.

4. of, relating to, or forming a nucleus.

5. of, relating to, or like the nuclear family.

   nuclear bonds.

noun

Informal.

1. nuclear energy.

   switching to nuclear as a power source.

nuclear

/ ˈnjuːklɪə /

adjective

1. of, concerned with, or involving the nucleus of an atom

   nuclear fission

2. biology of, relating to, or contained within the nucleus of a cell

   a nuclear membrane

3. of, relating to, forming, or resembling any other kind of nucleus

4. of, concerned with, or operated by energy from fission or fusion of atomic nuclei

   a nuclear weapon

5. involving, concerned with, or possessing nuclear weapons

   nuclear war

   a nuclear strike

nuclear

1. Relating to or forming a cell nucleus.

2. Relating to atomic nuclei.

3. Using energy derived from the nuclei of atoms through fission or fusion reactions.

Pronunciation Note

In pronouncing nuclear, the second and third syllables are most commonly said as , a sequence of sounds that directly reflects the spelled sequence ‑cle·ar. In recent years, a somewhat controversial pronunciation has come to public attention, with these two final syllables said as . Since , the common pronunciation of ‑cle·ar, might also be represented, broadly, as , the pronunciation can be seen as coming from a process of metathesis, in which the and the change places. The resulting pronunciation is reinforced by analogy with such words as molecular, particular, and muscular, and although it occurs with some frequency among highly educated speakers, including scientists, professors, and government officials, it is disapproved of by many.

Other Word Forms

• internuclear adjective
• multinuclear adjective
• postnuclear adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nuclear¹

1840–50; nucle(us) + -ar ¹; compare French nucléaire

Example Sentences

He helped negotiate the Bush administration's civil nuclear deal with India that was seen as a landmark in building ties between the world's two largest democracies.

Read more on Barron's

In mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign on Iran which saw the US briefly joining by striking key Iranian nuclear facilities.

Read more on Barron's

In mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign on Iran, striking nuclear and military facilities as well as residential areas and killing more than 1,000 people.

Read more on Barron's

The U.S. attacked three of Iran’s nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, which represent the core of the Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But in the Middle East, Israel proved itself to be the dominant regional military force, while in Europe, it is Russia that remains a major global power with a sizable nuclear arsenal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• basic 
• essential 
• fundamental 
• important 
• key 
• paramount 
• pivotal 
• significant