nuclear fuel

American  

[noo-klee-er fyoo-uhl, nyoo-] / ˈnu kli ər ˈfyu əl, ˈnyu- /

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

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

Ahead of the meeting, Kyiv officials said a Russian drone had hit a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel near the Chornobyl nuclear plant in the north of Ukraine.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

Each year, during the complex process of replacing nuclear fuel in the reactors, Morgado joins hundreds of temporary workers brought in to support the facility's roughly 800 permanent employees.

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

The U.S. wants Iran to halt its enrichment of nuclear fuel for up to 20 years and turn over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

But a more massive star will spend its nuclear fuel faster, become a red giant sooner, and be first to enter the final white dwarf decline.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan