nuclear energy
Americannoun
noun
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The energy released by the nucleus of an atom as the result of nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, or radioactive decay. The amount of energy released by the nuclear fission of a given mass of uranium is about 2,500,000 times greater than that released by the combustion of an equal mass of carbon. And the amount of energy released by the nuclear fusion of a given mass of deuterium is about 400 times greater that that released by the nuclear fission of an equal mass of uranium.
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Also called atomic energy
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Electricity generated by a nuclear reactor.
Pronunciation
See nuclear ( def. ).
Etymology
Origin of nuclear energy
First recorded in 1925–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Radiation levels at the facility remained within normal limits following the attack, although its fuel reception building was "partially destroyed", according to Ukraine's nuclear energy operator, Energoatom.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
Rising power use at AI data centers is boosting demand for uranium-fueled nuclear energy.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
The global artificial intelligence buildout, with its insatiable appetite for reliable baseload electricity to power data centers, is accelerating that interest in nuclear energy further.
From Salon • May 21, 2026
It added that "the targeting of peaceful nuclear energy facilities is a flagrant violation of international law, the UN charter, and the principles of humanitarian law".
From BBC • May 17, 2026
“It may be that the day of useful nuclear energy is not so far distant after all,” he wrote to his fellow cyclotron builder Alexander Allen.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
