photonuclear

American

[foh-toh-noo-klee-er, -nyoo-, -kyuh-ler] / ˌfoʊ toʊˈnu kli ər, -ˈnju-, -kjə lər /

adjective

Physics.

of, relating to, or caused by the collision of high-energy photons with the nucleus of an atom.

photonuclear British

/ ˌfəʊtəʊˈnjuːklɪə /

adjective

physics of or concerned with a nuclear reaction caused by a photon

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Pronunciation

See nuclear.

Etymology

Origin of photonuclear

First recorded in 1940–45; photo- + nuclear

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

photonuclear

To examine small variations in the distribution of gluons inside nuclei, the researchers used a technique known as incoherent J/ψ photonuclear production.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026

Pinlighting consisted of the detonation of ultra-vivid miniature photonuclear bombs, which converted a few ounces of a magnesium isotope into pure visible radiance.

From The Game of Rat and Dragon by Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023