nuclear weapon

A weapon, such as an atomic bomb or hydrogen bomb, whose destructive power comes from the release of nuclear energy.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nu′clear weap′on

an explosive device whose destructive potential derives from the release of energy that accompanies the splitting or combining of atomic nuclei.

[1945–50]

nuclear weapon

A weapon whose destructive power comes from nuclear energy; an atomic bomb or a hydrogen bomb. Also called thermonuclear weapon.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nuclear weapon

A complete assembly (i.e., implosion type, gun type, or thermonuclear type), in its intended ultimate configuration which, upon completion of the prescribed arming, fusing, and firing sequence, is capable of producing the intended nuclear reaction and release of energy.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

nuclear weapon - a weapon of mass destruction whose explosive power derives from a nuclear reaction

atomic weapon

A-bomb, atom bomb, atomic bomb, fission bomb, plutonium bomb - a nuclear weapon in which enormous energy is released by nuclear fission (splitting the nuclei of a heavy element like uranium 235 or plutonium 239)

atomic warhead, nuclear warhead, nuke, thermonuclear warhead - the warhead of a missile designed to deliver an atom bomb

fusion bomb, H-bomb, hydrogen bomb, thermonuclear bomb - a nuclear weapon that releases atomic energy by union of light (hydrogen) nuclei at high temperatures to form helium

megaton bomb - a nuclear weapon with an explosive power equivalent to one million tons of TNT

W.M.D., weapon of mass destruction, WMD - a weapon that kills or injures civilian as well as military personnel (nuclear and chemical and biological weapons)

Translations

Atomwaffe

arma nuclear

bombe atomique

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

the enhancement of nuclear weapons and fissile material by the recognized five nuclear weapon states.

OPEN DENIAL

KARACHI -- Since nuclear weapons testing began on 16 July 1945, nearly 2,000 have taken place.

1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty has yet to enter into force: UN Report

Indeed, the NPT impeded the horizontal proliferation without checking the vertical proliferation of nuclear weapons. The nuclear weapon statesBritain, China, France, Russia, and the United States are parties to the NPT and they always reiterate their pledge to execute article-VI that demands: 'Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.' Realistically, despite their commitment, the elimination of nuclear weapons remains a vision, not immediately attainable and perhaps not achievable in the anarchical international society.

NPT at 50: powerless to denuclearise

The day is devoted to enhancing public awareness and education about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions.

Int'l Day against Nuclear Tests to be observe on Tuesday

China, Russia and the United States must cooperate on strengthening barriers against the spread of nuclear weapons

Backed By Big Powers, A Successful Iran Deal Could Rescue NPT

During the Cold War, the United States and Soviet Union both deployed nonstrategic nuclear weapons for use in the field during a conflict.

Nonstrategic nuclear weapons

To this day, nuclear weapons possessors extol the value of nuclear weapons in safeguarding their national interests, but expect no one else to embrace the same rationale.

Statement to the 3rd Preparatory Committee for the 2020 NPT Review Conference; May 1, 2019