plutonium
/pluːˈtəʊnɪəm
/noun [mass noun]
The chemical element of atomic number 94, a dense silvery radioactive metal of the actinide series, used as a fuel in nuclear reactors and as an explosive in nuclear fission weapons. Plutonium only occurs in trace amounts in nature but is manufactured in nuclear reactors from uranium-238. (Symbol: Pu) The only manufacturing left on the site when reprocessing goes will be the plant for making nuclear fuel from plutonium and uranium oxides....
- Workers at the facility were exposed to radiation as well as the chemicals uranium, plutonium and fluorine.
- To develop a comprehensive set of nuclear weapons, enriched plutonium and uranium are needed.
Origin
1940s: from Greek 'Pluto', on the pattern of neptunium, being the next planet beyond Neptune.
Rhymes
- marrow-stem
- marrow-stemmed kale
- marrowy
- marrub
- marrube
- marrubiin
- Marrubium
- Marrucinian
- marry
- Marryat, Frederick
- marryer
- marrying-in
- marrying-out
- marry in haste, repent at leisure
- marry money
- marry with the left hand
- Mars
- Marsala
- Marsalis, Wynton
- Marsanne
- Mars bar
- Mars color
- Mars colour
- Marseillaise
- Marseilles