nuclear weapon

[ noo-klee-er wep-uhn, nyoo- ]
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noun
  1. an explosive device whose destructive potential derives from the release of energy that accompanies the splitting or combining of atomic nuclei.

Origin of nuclear weapon

1
First recorded in 1945–50

pronunciation note For nuclear weapon

See nuclear.

Words Nearby nuclear weapon

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

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Scientific definitions for nuclear weapon

nuclear weapon

  1. A weapon whose destructive power comes from nuclear energy; an atomic bomb or a hydrogen bomb.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for nuclear weapon

nuclear weapon

Any weapon that employs a nuclear reaction for its explosive power. Nuclear weapons include ballistic missiles, bombs (see atomic bomb (see also atomic bomb) and hydrogen bomb), artillery rounds, and mines.

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.