fusion

noun, often attributive fu·sion \ ˈfyü-zhᵊn \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of fusion

1 : the act or process of liquefying or rendering plastic by heat

2 : a union by or as if by melting: such as

a : a merging of diverse, distinct, or separate elements into a unified whole

Opera is a fusion of several arts.

b : a political partnership : coalition

a fusion of Democrats and independent Republicans
—N. Y. Times

c : popular music combining different styles (such as jazz and rock)

d : food prepared using techniques and ingredients of two or more ethnic or regional cuisines

a restaurant that specializes in Indian-Chinese fusion

— called also fusion cuisine

3 : the union of atomic nuclei to form heavier nuclei resulting in the release of enormous quantities of energy when certain light elements unite

nuclear fusion

See fusion defined for English-language learners

See fusion defined for kids

Examples of fusion in a Sentence

a fusion of different methods
a fusion of musical styles
The show is a fusion of news and entertainment.
The fusion of different cultural influences is evident in her sculpture.

Recent Examples of fusion from the Web

Four-time champion Woods, 42, is the headline act, playing at Augusta for the first time since 2015 after undergoing a fourth back procedure -- spine fusion surgery -- last April.

— rob hodgetts, CNN, "Masters 2018: Augusta abuzz as anticipation builds for major," 4 Apr. 2018
Humanity was saved by breakthroughs in the development of fusion energy, which requires Helium-3 — an isotope found in abundance on the Moon.

— andrew liptak, The Verge, "Gunpowder Moon is a chillingly realistic book about the fight to control the Solar System," 17 Mar. 2018
International Marketplace's array of restaurants, Lucky Lou Seafood and Saigon Restaurant are also on the receiving end of the unexpected Fodor's Travel praise. More food news: Louisville also gets a shoutout for its unexpected Asian fusion cuisine.

— andrew clark, Indianapolis Star, "Fodor's Travel gives unexpected food honor to Indianapolis," 1 Feb. 2018
Music at Mickel, Friday, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Enjoy the unique blend of pop, fusion, rock and reggae by InnaSense in a free concert at Mickel Park, 2675 NW Seventh Ave.

— jennifer jhon, South Florida Parenting, "What to do with the kids this weekend: Curious George, train rides, action show," 17 Jan. 2018
The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation now requires injured workers to undergo 60 days of chiropractic or other alternative care before receiving spinal fusion surgery.

— jackie borchardt, cleveland.com, "Research, jobs among opioid crisis solutions touted in Ohio," 23 Mar. 2018
What Blake has accomplished here is quite extraordinary: a fusion of lyric and narrative laced with a heady blend of pop culture — monsters, zombies — and science fiction.

— frank wilson, Philly.com, "Local poet Sarah Blake's 'Let's Not Live on Earth': Zombies, monsters, sci-fi, and big messages, without preaching," 21 Mar. 2018
Big picture: Woods had back fusion surgery in April 2017, his fourth procedure since 2014, but appears fit and healthy.

— tom mcgowan, CNN, "Rory McIlroy wins for the first time since 2016, Tiger Woods ties for fifth," 19 Mar. 2018
And to think that just over six months ago, Woods hadn't been cleared by his doctors to hit balls after fusion surgery on his lower back, his fourth back surgery dating to the spring of 2014.

— associted press, latimes.com, "Golf: Rory McIlroy surges to victory at Bay Hill; Tiger Woods is fifth," 18 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fusion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of fusion

borrowed from Medieval Latin fūsiōn-, fūsiō "process of pouring, casting of molten metal," going back to Latin, "process of pouring, effusion," from fud-, variant stem of fundere "to pour, shed, cast (liquid metal)" (Medieval Latin also, "to melt down, make liquid") + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at ⁵found

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

fusion Synonyms

Other Energy Engineering Terms

scram

FUSION Defined for English Language Learners

fusion

noun

Definition of fusion for English Language Learners

: a combination or mixture of things
physics : a process in which the nuclei of atoms are joined
: a type of popular music that combines different styles (such as jazz and rock)

FUSION Defined for Kids

fusion

noun fu·sion \ ˈfyü-zhən \

Definition of fusion for Students

1 : an act of fusing or melting together

2 : union by or as if by melting

3 : union of atomic nuclei to form heavier nuclei resulting in the release of enormous quantities of energy

Medical Dictionary

fusion

noun, often attributive fu·sion \ ˈfyü-zhən \

medical Definition of fusion

1 a : the act or process of liquefying or rendering plastic by heat

b : the liquid or plastic state induced by heat

2 : a union by or as if by melting together: as

a : a merging of diverse elements into a unified whole; specifically : the blending of retinal images in binocular vision

b : a combination of ingredients achieved by heating and mixing together

(1) : a blend of sensations, perceptions, ideas, or attitudes such that the component elements can seldom be identified by introspective analysis

(2) : the perception of light from a source that is intermittent above a critical frequency as if the source were continuous — called also flicker fusion; compare flicker

d : the surgical immobilization of a joint — see spinal fusion

3 : the union of atomic nuclei to form heavier nuclei resulting in the release of enormous quantities of energy when certain light elements unite — called also nuclear fusion

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