plutonium

plural plutoniums

1. uncountableusuallychemistryThe transuranic chemical element with atomic number 94 and symbol Pu: a silvery-gray fissile radioactive actinide metal that tarnishes when exposed to air.

   Plutonium? You mean this sucker's nuclear?

   1985, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, Back to the Future, spoken by Marty McFly

   2 more examples

   The Samson Option states that Moshe Dayan gave the go-ahead for starting weapon production in early 1968, putting the plutonium separation plant into full operation.

   2009 June 7, Filipe, CNN, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2023

   For 75 years, it has fulfilled a wide range of roles: producing weapons-grade plutonium for early atomic weapons in the aftermath of the Second World War; the world's first commercial nuclear power station supplying electricity to the National Grid; reprocessing and storage of nuclear fuel; and the processing of lower grades of radioactive waste for off-site storage.

   2023 December 27, Ben Jones, “Inside Sellafield... by rail”, in RAIL, number 999, page 20

   1. countableusuallychemistryAn atom of this element.
2. alternativecountablehistoricalusuallyAlternative form of ploutonion.