nuclear English · revision 3742

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1841|origins=la nucleus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈnjuː.kli.ə/, US /ˈnuː.kli.ɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|en|nucleus|-ar]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) probably influenced by [[fr|nucléaire]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) Latin [[m|la|nucleus|t=kernel]] is a diminutive of [[m|la|nux|t=nut]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of or like the nucleus of a cell: 1841 in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) 1846 in the OED and Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) Merriam-Webster dates the word to 1833.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Of or belonging to an atomic nucleus is from 1914,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) following the general sense “central”, used in linguistics and phonetics from 1912.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Nuclear energy'' is from 1930 in Etymonline^(Etymonline) or 1941 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) ''nuclear physics'' from 1933, and ''nuclear fission'' from 1939.^(Barnhart 1988) Of weapons deriving their power from nuclear reactions it is from 1945, with ''nuclear power'' and ''nuclear bomb'' that year,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) ''nuclear weapon'' from 1947 or 1948 and ''nuclear war'' from 1950 or 1954.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The ''nuclear family'', the basic family unit of parents and children, was used by the anthropologist G. P. Murdock in 1949.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Nuclear winter'' was coined by the atmospheric scientist Richard Turco and popularised by Carl Sagan in 1983.^(Etymonline) As a noun, a nuclear weapon, it is from 1962.^(Barnhart 1988) The phrase ''go nuclear'', to lose one's temper, is informal.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1841 – of a cell nucleus.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1912 – central.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1914 – of the atomic nucleus.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1933 – ''nuclear physics''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1945 – ''nuclear bomb'', ''nuclear power''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1949 – ''nuclear family''.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1962 – noun, a nuclear weapon.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1983 – ''nuclear winter''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or forming a [[nucleus]], as of a cell.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Of or relating to the [[atom|alt=atomic]] nucleus.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Using energy released by [[fission]] or [[fusion]] of atomic nuclei.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Of, using or having nuclear weapons: ''a nuclear power''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nuclei]]

+ * [[nucleus]]

+ * [[nucleo-]]

+ * [[nucleic]]

+ * [[nut]]

+ * [[nuclide]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ An alternative adjective, nucleal, is recorded from 1840, probably from French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}