Thermonuclear

/ˌθɜrmoʊˈnukliər/ adjective

Definition

Relating to nuclear reactions powered by extreme heat, or extremely intense and destructive; describes weapons using hydrogen bomb technology.

Etymology

From Greek 'therme' (heat) + nuclear (from Latin 'nucleus' meaning kernel). Combined in the 20th century to describe the physics of hydrogen bombs.

Kelly Says

Thermonuclear weapons work by using an atomic bomb to create the insane temperatures needed to fuse hydrogen atoms—it's basically harnessing the power of the sun for a split second!

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