nuclear submarine
9
3.6
- noun
- /ˈnjuːklɪər ˈsʌbməˌriːn/
- Specialized
- A nuclear submarine can travel long distances without surfacing, thanks to its powerful nuclear reactor.
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Watch on YouTubeBecause for every nuclear submarine you see, there's two you don't see, right?
- Because for every nuclear submarine you see, there's two you don't see, right?
- The steel used to make nuclear submarines and parts for nuclear power stations is made by Sheffield Forge Masters, once again in electric arc furnaces.
Examples
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The Cardoso government in Brazil sparked several internal crises after it announced plans to build a nuclear submarine.
Academic text (2006) -
There are now some 58 nuclear submarines headed at high speed into the Atlantic.
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This is a nuclear submarine, as you know.
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United States Navy is sending us our very own nuclear submarine to give us a ride out.
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All we know for sure is that two nuclear submarines are missing.
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She's the captain of a nuclear submarine.
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We've lost one of our nuclear submarines.
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Because for every nuclear submarine you see, there's two you don't see, right?
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The longest an aquanaut has lived underwater... has been about 70 days, and that was in a nuclear submarine.
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Nuclear submarines are designed to withstand external blast pressures from enemy nuclear or non-nuclear munitions.
Academic text (2003)
Synonyms
191
4.2
A warship that travels underwater and carries torpedoes
133
5.8
A ship that travels under water, often used by the navy
1
4.9
A military ship that uses nuclear power to stay underwater for long periods
How Enduring
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'nuclear' (relating to atomic energy) modifies 'submarine' (an underwater vessel), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer a submarine powered by nuclear energy. This modifier+noun pattern is common across languages and follows straightforward technical compounding, making the expression immediately understandable.
Etymology
The compound nuclear submarine is a literal name: nuclear points to the powerful energy source inside and submarine is a ship that goes under the sea. Because that energy lets the vessel stay 'underwater' for 'months', the name means a submarine 'powered by nuclear energy' that can remain submerged for a long time.