Nuclear

Pronunciation

• Canada IPA: /ˈnukliÉš/
• UK IPA: /ˈnjuː.klɪə/
• US IPA: /ˈnukliÉš/, /nukjÉ™lÉš/ see usage notes

Origin

From nucleus + -ar.

Full definition of nuclear

Adjective

1. (biology) Pertaining to the nucleus of a cell. from 19th c.
• 2011, Terence Allen and Graham Cowling, The Cell: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford 2011, p. 17:However, the DNA in a bacterial cell is a single circular molecule and there is no separate nuclear compartment.
2. Pertaining to a centre around which something is developed or organised; central, pivotal. from 19th c.
3. Pertaining to the atomic nucleus. from 20th c.
4. Involving atomic energy. from 20th c.a nuclear reactor
5. Of a weapon: deriving its force from rapid release of atomic energy. from 20th c.a nuclear explosion

Usage notes

The pronunciation is perhaps nonstandard; however, it is listed in Merriam-Webster (Online 10th Edition). See also nucular, and nucular in Wikipedia. However, this pronunciation is limited to the sense of atomic energy; for example, nuclear family is not pronounced *nucular family.

Geoffrey Nunberg, “Going Nucular”, 2002.

Derived terms

Related terms

• nuclei
• nucleus

Anagrams

• unclear