yellowcake

noun yel·low·cake \ ˈye-lō-ˌkāk , ˈye-lə- \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Definition of yellowcake

: partially refined uranium ore that is often used as an intermediate step in the production of nuclear weapons

Recent Examples of yellowcake from the Web

Haley’s claim that Iran is violating U.N. resolutions via its Yemeni proxy is a good deal more credible than Powell’s yarn about Saddam Hussein buying yellowcake uranium from Niger.

— jonah shepp, Daily Intelligencer, "Are We Going to War With Iran?," 16 Dec. 2017
Moreover, no uranium produced at U.S. mines may be exported, except for some uranium yellowcake which is extracted and processed in Canada before being returned to the United States for use in nuclear power plants.

— glenn kessler, Washington Post, "The ‘dossier’ and the uranium deal: A guide to the latest allegations," 29 Oct. 2017
Her husband had published an op-ed in The New York Times discrediting Bush's public statements that Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, sought significant quantities of uranium yellowcake from Africa.

— david kravets, Ars Technica, "Here’s a way to silence Trump on Twitter: Buy the microblogging service," 23 Aug. 2017
The resulting uranium-laden solution is then processed into yellowcake and nuclear fuel.

— mead gruver, The Seattle Times, "US won’t fine company for spilling radioactive sludge," 5 July 2017
The resulting uranium-laden solution is then processed into yellowcake and nuclear fuel.

— Washington Post, "US won’t fine company for spilling radioactive sludge," 5 July 2017
In essence, getting the intelligence agencies to doctor the Benghazi report — and arguably Bush’s team spinning yellowcake and WMD stories in Iraq — show how partisan these agencies have become.

— ron hart, Orange County Register, "Our spying industrial complex needs to be reviewed," 10 Jan. 2017
Wilson, a former diplomat in Iraq and Niger, had been dispatched to Niger to investigate if the African nation knew anything about sketchy intelligence that Iraq had attempted to buy yellowcake ore.

— ryan singel, WIRED, "Oval Office Felon Spared Prison by Bush," 2 July 2007

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