U

nuclear

adjective

pertaining to or involving atomic weapons: nuclear war.
operated or powered by atomic energy: a nuclear submarine.
(of a nation or group of nations) having atomic weapons.
of, relating to, or forming a nucleus.
of, relating to, or like the nuclear family: nuclear bonds.

noun Informal.

nuclear energy: switching to nuclear as a power source.

adjective

of, concerned with, or involving the nucleus of an atomnuclear fission
biology of, relating to, or contained within the nucleus of a cella nuclear membrane
of, relating to, forming, or resembling any other kind of nucleus
of, concerned with, or operated by energy from fission or fusion of atomic nucleia nuclear weapon
involving, concerned with, or possessing nuclear weaponsnuclear war; a nuclear strike

adj.1846, “of or like the nucleus of a cell,” from nucleus + -ar, probably by influence of French nucléaire. Use in atomic physics is from 1914; of weapons, from 1945. Hence nuclear physics (1933), nuclear energy (1941), nuclear war (1954). Nuclear winter coined by Richard Turco, but first attested in article by Carl Sagan in “Parade” magazine, Oct. 30, 1983. General sense of “central” is from 1912. Nuclear family, originally a sociologists’ term, is first attested 1949 in “Social Structure,” by American anthropologist G.P. Murdock (1897-1985). Alternative adjective nucleal is recorded from 1840. adj.

Of or forming a nucleus.
Of or relating to atomic nuclei.

Relating to or forming a cell nucleus.
Relating to atomic nuclei.
Using energy derived from the nuclei of atoms through fission or fusion reactions.