NUCLEAR REACTOR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does nuclear reactor mean? 

• NUCLEAR REACTOR (noun)
  The noun NUCLEAR REACTOR has 1 sense:

1. (physics) any of several kinds of apparatus that maintain and control a nuclear reaction for the production of energy or artificial elements

  Familiarity information: NUCLEAR REACTOR used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NUCLEAR REACTOR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(physics) any of several kinds of apparatus that maintain and control a nuclear reaction for the production of energy or artificial elements

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

nuclear reactor; reactor

Hypernyms ("nuclear reactor" is a kind of...):

apparatus; setup (equipment designed to serve a specific function)

Meronyms (parts of "nuclear reactor"):

control rod (a steel or aluminum rod that can be moved up or down to control the rate of the nuclear reaction)

core (the chamber of a nuclear reactor containing the fissile material where the reaction takes place)

moderator (any substance used to slow down neutrons in nuclear reactors)

Domain category:

natural philosophy; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "nuclear reactor"):

atomic pile; atomic reactor; chain reactor; pile (a nuclear reactor that uses controlled nuclear fission to generate energy)

breeder reactor (a nuclear reactor that produces more fissile material than it burns)

fast reactor (nuclear reactor in which nuclear fissions are caused by fast neutrons because little or no moderator is used)

gas-cooled reactor (a nuclear reactor using gas as a coolant)

liquid metal reactor (a nuclear reactor using liquid metal as a coolant)

thermal reactor (a nuclear reactor in which nuclear fissions are caused by neutrons that are slowed down by a moderator)

fusion reactor; thermonuclear reactor (a nuclear reactor that uses controlled nuclear fusion to generate energy)

water-cooled reactor (nuclear reactor using water as a coolant)

 Context examples 

The sun is our nearest star — a gigantic nuclear reactor that burns about 5 million tons of hydrogen fuel every second.

(Newest solar telescope produces first images, National Science Foundation)

It is used in high-technology ceramics, electronic heat sinks, electrical insulators, high-power devices, high-density electrical circuits, microwaves, X-ray windows, nuclear reactor fuels and for various aerospace and military applications.

(Beryllium Oxide, NCI Thesaurus)