/ ˈnjuːkliə(r); NAmE ˈnuː-/ adjective [ usually before noun ]
1.
using, producing or resulting from nuclear energy :
a nuclear power station
the nuclear industry
nuclear-powered submarines
2.
connected with weapons that use nuclear energy :
a nuclear weapon / bomb / missile
a nuclear explosion / attack / war
the country's nuclear capability (= the fact that it has nuclear weapons)
nuclear capacity (= the number of nuclear weapons a country has)
3.
( physics ) of the nucleus (= central part) of an atom :
nuclear particles
a nuclear reaction
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 19th cent.: from nucleus + -ar .