nuclear
part of speech
adjective (nuclear power, a nuclear family)
meaning for a pupil
1) To do with the nucleus, the tiny centre of an atom, and the huge energy stored there. tree →
2) Using that energy: nuclear power stations, nuclear weapons. tree →
3) A nuclear family is a mother, father and their children living together. tree →
4) (slang) «Go nuclear» means to get extremely angry or do something extreme. tree →
sense in the lessons
In science lessons, nuclear energy comes from splitting atoms or joining them, as in the Sun. In news and history, nuclear weapons and power are serious topics about safety. In social studies, the «nuclear family» is a kind of family. Phrases: nuclear power, nuclear energy, nuclear bomb, nuclear family, go nuclear.
examples
- The Sun shines because of nuclear reactions inside it. tree →
- Some countries make electricity in nuclear power stations. tree →
- Nuclear waste must be stored safely for a very long time. tree →
- A nuclear family is parents and their children. tree →
- When I broke her phone, my sister went nuclear. tree →
- Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous weapons ever made. tree →
note
Adjective only. Say «NEW-klee-er»; a common slip is «nucular». Related: nucleus (plural nuclei). Myth: nuclear power stations cannot blow up like a bomb, but accidents can spread dangerous radiation. «Go nuclear» is informal.
In the corpora
- "The deterrent" is the British official way to say nuclear weapons, the most destructive bombs ever made.
- In 2011 a magnitude 9 earthquake sent a tsunami into Japan that killed about 18,000 people and damaged the Fukushima nuclear plant.
- NASA's Dragonfly is a nuclear-powered drone helicopter due to launch in 2028 and fly between sites on Titan in the 2030s.
- Big nuclear submarines make their own oxygen from seawater using electricity.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «nuclear» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.