nuclear reactor

2 definitions found

nuclear reactor - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  nuclear reactor \nuclear reactor\ n. (phys.)
     Any of several devices that maintain and control a sustained
     nuclear fission chain reaction, for the production of energy,
     heat, or artificial elements, or for research purposes. The
     main fuel sustaining the reaction and consumed by the process
     is typically uranium or plutonium.
  
     Syn: reactor, atomic pile, fission reactor, nuclear pile
          [WordNet 1.5 +PJC]

nuclear reactor - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  nuclear reactor
      n 1: (physics) any of several kinds of apparatus that maintain
           and control a nuclear reaction for the production of energy
           or artificial elements [syn: nuclear reactor, reactor]