prenuclear

American

[pree-noo-klee-er, -nyoo-, -kyuh-ler] / priˈnu kli ər, -ˈnju-, -kjə lər /

adjective

of or relating to the era before the development of nuclear weapons.

Pronunciation

See nuclear.

Etymology

Origin of prenuclear

First recorded in 1950–55; pre- + nuclear

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

prenuclear

“The threat is imminent, and the case against pre-emption rests on the misinterpretation of a standard that derives from prenuclear, pre-ballistic-missile times,” he wrote.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 23, 2018

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