Standard Lemma guide

nonproliferation

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • CMU ARPABET: N AA0 N P R AH0 L IH2 F ER0 EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Opposition to the spread of something, especially nuclear weapons.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Examples

  • Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the prevention of something increasing or spreading (especially the prevention of an increase in the number of countries possessing nuclear weapons)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they protested that the nonproliferation treaty was just a plot to maintain the hegemony of those who already had nuclear weapons
  • nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation are closely related goals

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: non-proliferation

Antonyms: proliferation

Broader terms: prevention, bar

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English non- French proliférer Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ation Middle French -ation French -ation French proliférationbor. English proliferation English nonproliferation From non- + proliferation.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: rajoitus — Translations
  • Finnish: sulku — Translations
  • French: non-prolifération — Translations
  • Polish: nierozprzestrzenianie — Translations
  • Russian: нераспростране́ние (nerasprostranénije) — Translations
  • Swedish: icke-spridning — Translations
  • Ukrainian: нерозповсю́дження (nerozpovsjúdžennja) — Translations