photofission

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noun

Nuclear fission as the result of the absorption of a gamma ray or other high-energy photon.

OriginEnglish fission ← Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos →
Scrabble 20
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Meanings

nounphotofission (usually uncountable, plural photofissions)

plural photofissions

  1. uncountableusuallynuclear physicsNuclear fission as the result of the absorption of a gamma ray or other high-energy photon.
verbphotofission (third-person singular simple present photofissions, present participle photofissioning, simple past and past participle photofissioned)

present singular third person photofissions · participle present photofissioning · participle past photofissioned · past photofissioned

  1. nuclear physicsTo undergo, or cause to undergo, photofission.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂os
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáwos
  4. Ancient Greekφᾰ́ος (phắos)
  5. Ancient Greekφῶς (phôs)
  6. Ancient Greekφωτο- (phōto-)
  7. Englishphoto-
  8. Englishfission
  9. Englishphotofission

From photo- + fission.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

photofission. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photofission

MLA

“photofission.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photofission. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “photofission,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photofission.

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