fissile

F4I1S1S1I1L1E1
/ˈfɪsˌaɪ.əl//ˈfɪsˌəl/

adjective

Able to be split.

Similar
fissionable
Opposite
nonfissile
OriginLatin fissilis →
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

adjectivefissile (comparative more fissile, superlative most fissile)

comparative more fissile · superlative most fissile

  1. Able to be split.
  2. geographyEasily split along a grain.

    This Cryſtal is a pellucid fiſſile Stone, clear as Water or Cryſtal of the Rock, and without Colour; enduring a red Heat without loſing its tranſparency, and in a very ſtrong Heat calcining without Fuſion.

    a. 1728 (date written), Isaac Newton, “[The Third Book of Opticks.] [Qu[estion] 25. Are there not other original Properties of the Rays of Light, besides those already described?]”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflections, Refractions, Inflections and Colours of Light. […], 4th edition, London: […] William Innys […], published 1730, →OCLC, page 329
  3. natural sciencesCapable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction.

    North Korea may soon have access to regular amounts of fissile material if it doesn’t already and could be preparing Punggye-ri for a number of nuclear tests if the above analysis is correct.

    2014 March 20, Jeffrey Lewis, “The Tunnels at Punggye-ri: An Alternative View”, in 38 North, archived from the original on 03 Apr 2014

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivecapable of undergoing nuclear fission

Similar
fissionable

adjectivecapable of being split or cleft or divided in the direction of the grain

Opposite
nonfissile
Also see
fissionable

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinfissilis
  2. Latinfissilis
  3. Englishfissile

Borrowed from Latin fissilis.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian цеплив, разцепващ се
  • цеплив (cepliv)able to be split
  • разцепващ се (razcepvašt se)capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction
Czech štěpný
  • štěpnýcapable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction
Dutch splijtbaar
  • splijtbaarable to be split
French fissible
  • fissibleable to be split
German spaltbar, spaltbar
  • spaltbarable to be split
  • spaltbarcapable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction
Greek διασπάσιμος, διαχωρίσιμος
  • διασπάσιμος (diaspásimos)able to be split
  • διαχωρίσιμος (diachorísimos)able to be split
  • εύσχιστος (éfschistos)easily split along a grain
  • διασπάσιμος (diaspásimos)capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction
  • σχάσιμος (schásimos)capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction
Polish łupliwy, rozszczepialny
  • łupliwyeasily split along a grain
  • rozszczepialnycapable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction
Portuguese cindível, fissível
  • cindívelable to be split
  • fissívelable to be split
Spanish físil, fisible
  • físilcapable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction
  • fisiblecapable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction
  • fisionablecapable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction
Swedish klyvbar, fissil
  • klyvbarable to be split
  • fissilcapable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction
Welsh ymholltus, hyhollt
  • ymholltusable to be split
  • hyholltable to be split

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Silfies
Cite this entry
APA

fissile. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fissile

MLA

“fissile.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fissile. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fissile,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fissile.

Source: fissile on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.