fusion
n
1 the act or process of fusing or melting together; union
2 the state of being fused
3 something produced by fusing
5 the merging of juxtaposed speech sounds, morphemes, or words
6 a coalition of political parties or other groups, esp. to support common candidates at an election
7 a kind of popular music that is a blend of two or more styles, such as jazz and funk
8 (Psychol) the processing by the mind of elements falling on the two eyes so that they yield a single percept (C16: from Latin fusio a pouring out, melting, casting, from fundere to pour out, found3)
fission-fusion bomb
n another name for →
fusion bomb
fusion bomb
n a type of bomb in which most of the energy is provided by nuclear fusion, esp. the fusion of hydrogen isotopes, (Also called)
thermonuclear bomb, fission-fusion bomb See also →
hydrogen bomb
fusion reactor
n a nuclear reactor in which a thermonuclear fusion reaction takes place
inertial fusion
n (Physics) a type of nuclear fusion induced by impact, as by pulses of laser radiation or high-energy charged particles, rather than by high temperature
muon-catalysed fusion
n (Physics) an experimental form of nuclear fusion in which hydrogen and deuterium muonic atoms are formed. Because the mass of the muon is much larger than that of the electron, the atoms are smaller, and the nuclei are close enough for fusion to occur
nuclear fusion
n a reaction in which two nuclei combine to form a nucleus with the release of energy, (Sometimes shortened to)
fusion Compare →
nuclear fission
See also →
thermonuclear reaction