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
- pull factor
- pull hitter
- pullicate
- pullikens
- pullikins
- pull in
- pulling bar
- pulling bone
- pulling guard
- pulling jack
- pulling power
- pull-iron
- pullishee
- Pullman
- Pullman case
- Pullman, George Mortimer
- Pullmanize
- Pullman, Philip
- Pullo
- pull-off
- pull-on
- pull oneself together
- pull one's head in
- pull (one's) punches
- pull one's socks up