nuclear fuel

American  

[noo-klee-er fyoo-uhl, nyoo-] / ˈnu kli ər ˈfju əl, ˈnju- /

noun

1. Physics. fissile or fertile material that undergoes fission in a nuclear reactor.

2. any light element, as hydrogen or helium, that undergoes fusion and gives off energy within the interior of stars.

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nuclear fuel British  

noun

1. a fuel that provides nuclear energy, used in nuclear power stations, nuclear submarines, etc

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Pronunciation

See nuclear ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of nuclear fuel

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nuclear fuel

Westinghouse has since focused more on its core business—making nuclear fuel, refueling reactors and maintaining many of the world’s nuclear power plants—while insulating itself from civil construction risks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

Spent nuclear fuel is stored in lead and stainless steel casks and bolted into concrete at a specially built pad at Diablo.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

Initial results from JUNO-TAO, presented at Neutrino 2026, show that researchers are also using reactor-off data to study the faint antineutrino signal produced by spent nuclear fuel.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026

The Russian strike on Chornobyl "partially destroyed" a spent nuclear fuel storage building, according to Ukraine's state-owned nuclear operator, Enerhoatom.

From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026

While uranium 235 fissions easily, nuclear fuel is not pure—it is made mostly of uranium 238, which does not fission.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland