Cher ‧ no ‧ byl /tʃɜːˈnəʊb ə l $ tʃərˈnoʊ-/ BrE AmE
a town in Ukraine (formerly part of the Soviet Union) where in 1986 an explosion destroyed large parts of a ↑ nuclear power station. At least 30 people were killed at the time, but it is believed that there may have been many more deaths as a result of the ↑ radioactive dust which spread over many countries. When people are discussing the safety of nuclear power, they sometimes say that they ‘do not want another Chernobyl’.