atomic reactor
- noun
- /əˈtɑːmɪk riˈæktər/
- Specialized
- The researchers conducted experiments at the atomic reactor to generate electricity in a sustainable way.
Examples
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They'll probably blame the death on our atomic reactors.
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In case the solar mirror fails, the space... station would be powered by an atomic reactor.
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Anything, just so you could get this atomic reactor you need so badly and have no funds to purchase.
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Why, he's developing the power of an atomic reactor.
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That atomic reactor of yours, how's it working?
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Instead of building atomic reactors, you could clean up every river, and instead of drilling for oil...
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It functions like an atomic reactor.
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The French are building an atomic reactor in northern Iraq... ...complete with enriched uranium.
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Now ready for final surgical step of transplanting living vital organs now needed to complete the last act before use of atomic reactor to reproduce rebirth.
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Coal consumption has risen 4.9 percent since Merkel announced a plan to start shutting the country's atomic reactors after last year's Fukushima disaster in Japan.
Blog text (28)
Synonyms
A machine that uses a controlled nuclear reaction to make energy or new elements
A machine that makes heat and electricity by splitting atoms in a controlled way
An early nuclear reactor used to create a controlled chain reaction
A machine that makes nuclear energy by splitting atoms in a controlled chain reaction
An early device that makes energy by splitting atoms
How Powerful
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound meaning is directly derivable from 'atomic' (relating to nuclear/atomic energy) and 'reactor' (a device that produces power); together they straightforwardly denote a device using atomic processes to generate energy. This noun–noun composition is a common, predictable pattern cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand the MWE.
Etymology
Atomic reactor comes from the image of a machine where tiny atoms are made to split and the reaction gives off 'energy', and reactor simply means a place where a reaction happens. So today atomic reactor means 'a device that uses split atoms to make energy', often for electricity or research.