adj · noun · 4 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.
UK:/ˌθɜː.məʊˈnjuːk.liː.ə/
US:/ˌθɜɹ.moʊˈn(j)uk.li.əɹ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:TH ER2 M OW0 N UW1 K L IY0 ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Of, or relating to the use of atomic weapons based on such fusion, especially as distinguished from those based on fission.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A thermonuclear weapon.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: government, military, politics, war
Examples
China detonated her first thermonuclear in June 1967.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
using nuclear weapons based on fusion as distinguished from fission
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gwher-der. Ancient Greek θερμός (thermós)der. English thermo- English nuclear English thermonuclear From thermo- + nuclear.
Across languages
Translations
21 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
термоядрен
(termojadren)
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Catalan:
termonuclear
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Chinese Mandarin:
熱核 /热核
(rèhé)
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Czech:
termonukleární
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Finnish:
termonukleaarinen
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Finnish:
lämpöydin-
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
French:
thermonucléaire
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Galician:
termonuclear
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Georgian:
თერმობირთვული
(termobirtvuli)
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
German:
thermonuklear
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Italian:
termonucleare
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Kazakh:
термоядролық
(termoädrolyq)
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Latvian:
kodoltermisks
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Polish:
termonuklearny
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Polish:
termojądrowy
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Portuguese:
termonuclear
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Romanian:
termonuclear
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Russian:
термоядерный
(termojadernyj)
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Spanish:
termonuclear
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Tagalog:
initbutudnin
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
Turkish:
termonükleer
— of, or relating to the fusion of atomic nuclei at high temperatures
