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A-bomb

A-bomb

32 3.0
A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to release huge energy
  • noun
  • /ˈeɪˌbɑm/
translation icon : bomba atómica
  • Scientists studied the effects of the A-bomb after it was dropped on Hiroshima.
  • A-bomb survivors

His dad helped Oppenheimer build a bomb.

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Examples

  • The tons of radioactive dust that have mushroomed up into the ionosphere since the very first A-bomb test.

  • The first Soviet A-bomb explosion took place 11 days later.

    Academic text (1996)
  • A day later, President Eisenhower stated publicly, "A-bombs can be used."

    Academic text (2005)
  • The military developed the A-bomb to create a weapon of mass destruction during World War II.

  • The A-bomb was a significant part of the nuclear arms race between countries in the Cold War.

Synonyms

nuclear weapon
vsA-bomb
  • NSFW
634 3.5

A very powerful bomb that uses energy from splitting or joining atoms

is narrower, describing weapons that release energy by fission only
nuke
vsA-bomb
  • Slang
148 7.6

A very powerful bomb that uses nuclear energy

names the actual device defined by its fission energy release
atomic bomb
vsA-bomb
  • Specialized
66 2.3

A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to make a huge explosion and destroy large areas

has identical meaning but is a shorter form
atom bomb
vsA-bomb
16 3.0

A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to cause a huge explosion

refers to the same fission process but uses a different label
atomic weapon
vsA-bomb
11 3.5

A very powerful explosive that uses energy from splitting or joining atoms to destroy things

is more specific about weapons that use fission rather than any nuclear reaction
fission bomb
vsA-bomb
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A bomb that releases a huge amount of energy by splitting heavy atoms like uranium or plutonium

is the common name for that same fission-based weapon

Surface Forms

A-bomb singular
A-bombs plural

Morphology

A-bomb = A + bomb (semi-transparent) = A + bomb

The word is formed from the initialism 'A' (standing for 'atomic') + 'bomb'; understanding requires expanding 'A' to 'atomic', which is an abbreviation rather than a fully productive morpheme.

Etymology

The word A-bomb is short for atomic bomb and comes from atom, which means 'a very small particle'. The name helps you remember how it works: huge energy is released by splitting parts inside atoms, so the A-bomb is a weapon that uses power from tiny pieces.