nonnuclear

adjective

non·​nu·​cle·​ar ˌnän-ˈnü-klē-ər 

-ˈnyü-

nonstandard

-kyə-lər 

1

: not nuclear: such as

a

: being a weapon whose destructive power is not derived from a nuclear reaction

b

: not operated by, using, or produced by nuclear energy

c

: not using or involving nuclear weapons

2

: not having nuclear weapons

a nonnuclear country

Examples of nonnuclear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Australia notes that the Non-Proliferation Treaty does not bar a nonnuclear weapon state from acquiring naval nuclear propulsion technology. — Ellen Nakashima and Christian Shepherd, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Feb. 2023

The prospect of South Korea, a nonnuclear state, acquiring its own weapons threatens to destabilize nuclear disarmament efforts and inflame already high tensions with Pyongyang. — Dasl Yoon, WSJ, 12 Jan. 2023

Saudi Arabia spends more on its military than any other nonnuclear power in the world. — Craig Whitlock and Nate Jones, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Oct. 2022

The diplomatic mission can also stress that Tehran’s intransigence over nonnuclear issues ultimately torpedoed revival of the 2015 agreement. — John Bolton, WSJ, 20 July 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nonnuclear

• mynheer
• seignior
• signior
• bilinear
• collinear
• nonlinear
• overseer
• curvilinear
• interlinear
• rectilinear
• dier
• freer

Kids Definition

nonnuclear

adjective

non·​nu·​cle·​ar (ˈ)nän-ˈn(y)ü-klē-ər 

1

: not nuclear

nonnuclear weapons

2

: not having nuclear weapons

nonnuclear countries