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nuclei

American

[noo-klee-ahy, nyoo-] / ˈnu kliˌaɪ, ˈnyu- /

noun

plural of nucleus.

nuclei British

/ ˈnjuːklɪˌaɪ /

noun

a plural of nucleus

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nuclei

< Latin nucleī, nominative plural of nucleus; nucleus

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Over time, some of these nuclei convert protons into neutrons, moving toward a more stable balance and eventually forming p-nuclei.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

In these reactions, atomic nuclei repeatedly absorb neutrons and then undergo radioactive decay until they reach stable forms.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

Fusion does the opposite: It combines light atomic nuclei into heavier ones, releasing enormous energy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

Beta-delayed two-neutron emission occurs only in exotic nuclei, which are unstable and exist only briefly.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026

My elbow does not slither through the table because atoms have electrons around their nuclei and because electrical forces are strong.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023