nuclear fuel

American

[noo-klee-er fyoo-uhl, nyoo-] / ˈnu kli ər ˈfyu əl, ˈnyu- /

noun

Physics. fissile or fertile material that undergoes fission in a nuclear reactor.
any light element, as hydrogen or helium, that undergoes fusion and gives off energy within the interior of stars.

nuclear fuel British

noun

a fuel that provides nuclear energy, used in nuclear power stations, nuclear submarines, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Pronunciation

See nuclear ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of nuclear fuel

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That deficit has existed for decades, with utilities drawing on stockpiles of the nuclear fuel to close the gap.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some see recycling of spent nuclear fuel eventually contributing to supply, and the Energy Department has made grants to companies developing recycling technologies, among them Curio and Oklo.

From The Wall Street Journal

In stars at least 10 times more massive than our sun, this balance eventually breaks down when nuclear fuel runs low.

From Science Daily

Uranium hexafluoride is an intermediate product between uranium ore and nuclear fuel pellets.

From Barron's

Tehran stuck to its refusal to end enrichment of nuclear fuel during talks between senior U.S. and Iranian officials last Friday, though both sides signaled a willingness to keep working toward a diplomatic solution.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023