nucleosynthesis
noun
nu·cle·o·syn·the·sis
ˌnü-klē-ō-ˈsin(t)-thə-səs 
ˌnyü-
: the production of a chemical element from simpler nuclei (as of hydrogen) especially in a star
Examples of nucleosynthesis in a Sentence
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The calculations of Big Bang nucleosynthesis, which correctly predict the abundances of hydrogen and helium in the Universe, put strict constraints on how much light-emitting matter there can be, and that number simply isn’t large enough to accommodate all these disparate results.
—
ArsTechnica, 25 June 2025
Presolar grains like the one in the picture help researchers understand nucleosynthesis in stars, mixing of different zones in stars and stellar ejecta, and how abundances of elements and their isotopes change with time in the galaxy.
—Sachiko Amari, Discover Magazine, 9 Aug. 2024
These supernova explosions generate reactions that fuse new atomic nuclei, a process called nucleosynthesis, of heavier elements.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 5 July 2024
Our earth contains a plethora of iron and rare earth metals that were created through stellar nucleosynthesis during billions of years of supernovae enrichment.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Those reactions then produce new atomic nuclei, a process known as nucleosynthesis.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 10 Jan. 2024
Helium Helium’s origins go back to just a few minutes after the big bang, when hydrogen, helium and a bit of lithium were produced during what is called big bang nucleosynthesis.
—Sanjana Curtis, Scientific American, 4 July 2023
Driven by nucleosynthesis in stars, the three most abundant elements in the Universe after hydrogen and helium are oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, Walker writes.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2021
Deuterium’s creation was the first step in Big Bang nucleosynthesis, a sequence of nuclear reactions that occurred when the cosmos was a super hot but rapidly cooling soup of protons and neutrons.
—Quanta Magazine, 11 Nov. 2020
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ArsTechnica, 25 June 2025
Presolar grains like the one in the picture help researchers understand nucleosynthesis in stars, mixing of different zones in stars and stellar ejecta, and how abundances of elements and their isotopes change with time in the galaxy.
—Sachiko Amari, Discover Magazine, 9 Aug. 2024
These supernova explosions generate reactions that fuse new atomic nuclei, a process called nucleosynthesis, of heavier elements.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 5 July 2024
Our earth contains a plethora of iron and rare earth metals that were created through stellar nucleosynthesis during billions of years of supernovae enrichment.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Those reactions then produce new atomic nuclei, a process known as nucleosynthesis.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 10 Jan. 2024
Helium Helium’s origins go back to just a few minutes after the big bang, when hydrogen, helium and a bit of lithium were produced during what is called big bang nucleosynthesis.
—Sanjana Curtis, Scientific American, 4 July 2023
Driven by nucleosynthesis in stars, the three most abundant elements in the Universe after hydrogen and helium are oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, Walker writes.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2021
Deuterium’s creation was the first step in Big Bang nucleosynthesis, a sequence of nuclear reactions that occurred when the cosmos was a super hot but rapidly cooling soup of protons and neutrons.
—Quanta Magazine, 11 Nov. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Nucleosynthesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nucleosynthesis. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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