Meanings
- uncountablenuclear physicsgovernmentEnriched uranium containing at least 20% uranium-235 (some applications, such as fission weapons and naval reactors, use uranium enriched to as high as 80-95% uranium-235), and therefore capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction without needing a moderator; used in nuclear weapons and in a few types of nuclear reactors requiring very high power density or high neutron flux.
Synonyms: weapons-grade uranium
Synonyms & antonyms
nounEnriched uranium containing at least 20% uranium-235 (some applications, such as fission weapons and naval reactors, use uranium enriched to as high as 80-95% uranium-235), and therefore capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction without needing a moderator; used in nuclear weapons and in a few types of nuclear reactors requiring very high power density or high neutron flux.
Cite this entry
highly enriched uranium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/highly%20enriched%20uranium
“highly enriched uranium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/highly%20enriched%20uranium. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “highly enriched uranium,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/highly%20enriched%20uranium.
Source: highly enriched uranium on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.