reactor

American  

[ree-ak-ter] / riˈæk tər /

noun

1. a person or thing that reacts or undergoes reaction.

2. Electricity. a device whose primary purpose is to introduce reactance into a circuit.

3. Immunology, Veterinary Medicine. a patient or animal that reacts positively towards a foreign material.

4. Physics. nuclear reactor.

5. Chemistry. (especially in industry) a large container, as a vat, for processes in which the substances involved undergo a chemical reaction.

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reactor British  

/ rɪˈæktə /

noun

1. chem a substance, such as a reagent, that undergoes a reaction

2. short for nuclear reactor

3. a vessel, esp one in industrial use, in which a chemical reaction takes place

4. a coil of low resistance and high inductance that introduces reactance into a circuit

5. med a person sensitive to a particular drug or agent

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Other Word Forms

• nonreactor noun

Etymology

Origin of reactor

First recorded in 1885–90; 1940–45 reactor for def. 4; react + -or ²

Example Sentences

The European Union is investigating a French plan to subsidize Electricite de France’s construction of six new nuclear reactors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Investors are cautious about new nuclear reactor investments due to high costs, preferring clear paths and risk mitigation.

From Barron's

In 1998, the U.S. and Britain were involved in an operation to remove highly enriched uranium from a reactor near Tbilisi, the Georgian capital.

From The Wall Street Journal

The partially disassembled research reactor, nicknamed “Norm,” is the latest design in a decadeslong pursuit by TAE to create a star on Earth.

From The Wall Street Journal

Nuclear reactors take significantly longer to build than gas turbines, however.

From Barron's