Meanings
- not comparableInvolving energy released by nuclear reactions (fission, fusion, radioactive decay).First known use 20th c.
a nuclear reactor
1 more example
nuclear technology
- not comparableRelating to a weapon that derives its force from rapid release of energy through nuclear reactions.First known use 20th c.
a nuclear power
1 more example
a nuclear explosion
- not comparableHaving nuclear weapons.
They will blame him for pursuing the ideological aim of destruction of Israel – something many Iranians don't support. They will blame him for what they perceive as a folly – his belief that achieving nuclear status would render his regime invincible.
2025 June 26, Kasra Naji, “When Iran's supreme leader emerges from hiding he will find a very different nation”, in BBC - broadlyfigurativelynot comparableInvolving an extreme course of action, or one with severe consequences.
nuclear option, nuclear solution
4 more examples
The states begging for aid get turned away; and sharp cuts in government employment, spending, and, eventually, pension payments are the only alternative future, beyond the nuclear solution of defaulting on our debt.
2011, Todd Lipscomb, Re-Made in the USA, →ISBNThe nuclear approach is the simpler of the two. When two constraints conflict, you can kill one of them.
2013, Erica Sadun, iOS Auto Layout Demystified, →ISBN, page 150We’ve now had 20 years of cautionary tales about replyallpocalypses. For the sake of workplace harmony: keep your pointer off the nuclear button.
2017 February 3, Elle Hunt, “When is it appropriate to reply all? Mostly never”, in The GuardianRepublicans have taken the historic step of triggering the so-called "nuclear option" to change the rules of the Senate and push through Donald Trump's pick for the Supreme Court, after Democrats blocked the nomination.
2017 April 6, Mythili Sampathkumar, “Democrats filibuster forces Republicans to use 'nuclear option to confirm Trump's Supreme Court pick”, in The Independent - not comparableRelating to, being of, or comprising the nuclear family.
1 more example
Somehow it is much easier to convey the emotions of gayness — the feelings of outsideness —through anthropomorphism. Gay poet and limerist Edward lear uses animals and creatures perfectly this way […] Even the Muppets — as mainstream and heterosexual as some of them may be — are favorites among many gay men […] Look at Mr. Toad in The Wind in the Willows, such a silly, pompous queen, and even Randall Jarrell's The Animal Family has a lot to say about non-human and non-nuclear arrangements.
1986 December 7, Michael Bronsky, “Gay Man's Dream Realized in Benefit Production of archy and mehitabel"”, in Gay Community News, volume 14, number 21, page 7
plural nuclears
- countableuncountableNuclear power.
The growth in wind capacity at first lagged behind the expansion of nuclear installations, but then it started to grow faster and is now outpacing nuclear.
2015, Vital Signs Volume 22: The Trends That Are Shaping Our Future, The Worldwatch Institute - countableuncountableNuclear weapon
Admiral Burke believed that we would be able to beat off an amphibious attack, even if staged in conjunction with heavy aerial bombing, long enough to refer back to Washington and obtain authorization to use nuclears.
1958, Foreign Relations of the United States (page 118)
Synonyms & antonyms
adjective(weapons) deriving destructive energy from the release of atomic energy
adjectiveconstituting or like a nucleus
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinnū̆cleus
- Englishnuclear
From Latin nū̆cleus, a contraction of the adjective nuculeus, masculine of feminine nuculea (“pertaining to a small nut”) from nucula + adjectival suffix -eus, -ea, -eum. The Latin nucula + -āris adds up to nuculāris, a term that in English becomes nucular; the Latin nuculea + -āris, becomes Latin nuculeāris (“relative to what pertains to small nut”), later contracted into nuclear. By surface analysis, nucleus + -ar. Compare muscle and Latin mūsculus; muscular and mūsculāris.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic نَوَوِيّ, نَوَوِيّ
- نَوَوِيّ (nawawiyy)involving nuclear energy
- نَوَوِيّ (nawawiyy)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- نَوَوِيّ (nawawiyy)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Bulgarian я́дрен, я́дрен
- я́дрен (jádren)involving nuclear energy
- я́дрен (jádren)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- я́дрен (jádren)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- центра́лен (centrálen)pertaining to a centre; central, pivotal
- я́дрен (jádren)pertaining to the atomic nucleus
Catalan nuclear
- nuclearinvolving nuclear energy
Chinese Mandarin 核, 核
- 核 (hé)involving nuclear energy
- 核 (hé)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- 核 (hé)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Czech jaderný, jaderný
- jadernýinvolving nuclear energy
- jadernýof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nukleárníof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
Danish kerne-, kerne-
- kerne-involving nuclear energy
- kerne-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- kerne-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Dutch kern-, nucleair
- kern-involving nuclear energy
- nucleairof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- kern-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- kern-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Esperanto nuklea, nuklea
- nukleainvolving nuclear energy
- nukleaof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
Estonian tuuma-, tuuma-
- tuuma-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- tuuma-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Finnish ydin-, ydinvoima-
- ydin-involving nuclear energy
- ydinvoima-involving nuclear energy
- ydin-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- ydinase-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- tuma-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- keskeinenpertaining to a centre; central, pivotal
- ydin-pertaining to the atomic nucleus
- ytimeen liittyväpertaining to the atomic nucleus
French nucléaire, nucléaire
- nucléaireinvolving nuclear energy
- nucléaireof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nucléairepertaining to the nucleus of a cell
German nuklear, Kern-
- nuklearinvolving nuclear energy
- Kern-involving nuclear energy
- nuklearof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- Kern-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nuklearpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- Kern-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Greek πυρηνικός, πυρηνικός
- πυρηνικός (pyrinikós)involving nuclear energy
- πυρηνικός (pyrinikós)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Hebrew גַּרְעִינִי, גַּרְעִינִי
- גַּרְעִינִי (gar'iní)involving nuclear energy
- גַּרְעִינִי (gar'iní)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- גַּרְעִינִי (gar'iní)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Hindi नाभिकीय, नाभिकीय
- नाभिकीय (nābhikīya)involving nuclear energy
- नाभिकीय (nābhikīya)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- कंद्रकीय (kandrakīya)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- केंद्रक (kendrak)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- केंद्रकीय (kendrakīya)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- नाभिकीय (nābhikīya)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- केंद्रीय (kendrīya)pertaining to a centre; central, pivotal
- नाभिकीय (nābhikīya)pertaining to the atomic nucleus
Hungarian nukleáris, nukleáris
- nukleárisinvolving nuclear energy
- nukleárisof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
Icelandic kjarna-, atóm-
- kjarna-involving nuclear energy
- atóm-involving nuclear energy
- kjarnorku-involving nuclear energy
- kjarnorku-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- atómsprengju-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- frumeinda-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- kjarna-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- atóm-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Indonesian nuklir
- nuklirinvolving nuclear energy
Irish núicléach, eithneach
- núicléachinvolving nuclear energy
- eithneachpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- núicléachpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- núicléachpertaining to the atomic nucleus
Italian nucleare, nucleare
- nucleareinvolving nuclear energy
- nucleareof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nuclearepertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Japanese 核, 核
- 核 (kaku)involving nuclear energy
- 核 (kaku)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- 核 (kaku)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Korean 핵, 핵
- 핵 (haek)involving nuclear energy
- 핵 (haek)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- 핵 (haek)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Latvian kodol-, kodol-
- kodol-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- kodol-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Lithuanian branduolinis, branduolinis
- branduolinisof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- branduolinispertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Malay nuklear
- nuklearinvolving nuclear energy
Norwegian Bokmål kjernefysisk, kjerne-
- kjernefysiskinvolving nuclear energy
- kjerne-involving nuclear energy
- atom-involving nuclear energy
- kjernefysiskof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- atom-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- kjerne-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- kjerne-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- kjernefysiskpertaining to the atomic nucleus
- atom-pertaining to the atomic nucleus
- kjerne-pertaining to the atomic nucleus
Polish jądrowy, nuklearny
- jądrowyinvolving nuclear energy
- nuklearnyinvolving nuclear energy
- jądrowyof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nuklearnyof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- jądrowypertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- nuklearnypertaining to the atomic nucleus
Portuguese nuclear, nuclear
- nuclearinvolving nuclear energy
- nuclearof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nuclearpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Romanian nuclear, atomic
- nuclearinvolving nuclear energy
- atomicinvolving nuclear energy
- nuclearof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- atomicof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nuclearpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Russian я́дерный, я́дерный
- я́дерный (jádernyj)involving nuclear energy
- я́дерный (jádernyj)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- я́дерный (jádernyj)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- центра́льный (centrálʹnyj)pertaining to a centre; central, pivotal
- я́дерный (jádernyj)pertaining to the atomic nucleus
Scottish Gaelic niùclasach, niùclasach
- niùclasachinvolving nuclear energy
- niùclasachof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- niùclasachpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Slovak jadrový, jadrový
- jadrovýinvolving nuclear energy
- jadrovýof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nukleárnyof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- jadrovýpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- nukleárnypertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Spanish nuclear, nuclear
- nuclearinvolving nuclear energy
- nuclearof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nuclearpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- nucleariopertaining to a centre; central, pivotal
Swedish kärn-, kärnkraft-
- kärn-involving nuclear energy
- kärnkraft-involving nuclear energy
- kärnenergi-involving nuclear energy
- nukleärof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- kärnvapen-of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nukleärpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- kärn-pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Tagalog buturanin, buturanin
- buturanininvolving nuclear energy
- buturaninof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
Thai ปรมาณู, นิวเคลียร์
- ปรมาณู (bpà-rá-maa-nuu)involving nuclear energy
- นิวเคลียร์ (niu-kliia)involving nuclear energy
- นิวเคลียร์ (niu-kliia)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- ปรมาณู (bpà-rá-maa-nuu)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- นิวเคลียส (niu-klíias)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- นิวเคลียร์ (niu-kliia)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Turkish nükleer, nükleer
- nükleerinvolving nuclear energy
- nükleerof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- nükleerpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Ukrainian я́дерний, я́дерний
- я́дерний (jádernyj)involving nuclear energy
- я́дерний (jádernyj)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- я́дерний (jádernyj)pertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- я́дерний (jádernyj)pertaining to the atomic nucleus
Urdu جَوہَری, جَوہَری
- جَوہَری (jauharī)involving nuclear energy
- جَوہَری (jauharī)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
Vietnamese hạt nhân, hạt nhân
- hạt nhâninvolving nuclear energy
- hạt nhânof a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
- hạtpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
- hạt nhânpertaining to the nucleus of a cell
Yiddish נוקלעאַר, נוקלעאַר
- נוקלעאַר (nuklear)involving nuclear energy
- נוקלעאַר (nuklear)of a weapon: deriving its force from nuclear energy
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
nuclear. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nuclear
“nuclear.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nuclear. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nuclear,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nuclear.
Source: nuclear on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.