nuclear weapon state

American  

[noo-klee-er wep-uhn steyt, nyoo-klee-er] / ˈnu kli ər ˈwɛp ən ˌsteɪt, ˈnju kli ər /

Or nuclear-weapon state

noun

1. any of the five countries identified by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as having created and detonated a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device prior to January 1, 1967: namely, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. NWS

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Pronunciation

See nuclear ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of nuclear weapon state

First recorded in 1960–65