nucleus Synonyms & Antonyms
Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.
Nucleus as a Noun
The core, central part of something, around which other elements are assembled.
An initial part or version that will receive additions.
This collection will form the nucleus of a new library.
The massive, positively charged central part of an atom, made up of protons and neutrons.
A large membrane-enclosed organelle found in eukaryotic cells which contains genetic material.
A ganglion, cluster of many neuronal bodies where synapsing occurs.
The central part of a syllable, most commonly a vowel.
A small bee-hive used to create a colony from a larger existing one.
Nucleus in a Sentence
This collection will form the nucleus of a new library.
Word Forms & Grammar
nucleus (plural nuclei or nucleuses)
Origin of Nucleus
Learned borrowing from Latin nucleus (“kernel, core”). The earliest uses refer to the head of a comet and the kernel of a seed, both recorded in Lexicon Technicum in 1704. The sense in atomic physics was coined by British scientist Michael Faraday in 1844 in a theoretical meaning.
Word Facts for Nucleus
| Part of speech | noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈnjuː.kli.əs/ |
| Syllables | 3 |
| Meaning | The core, central part of something, around which other elements are assembled |
| Plural | nuclei |
How Do You Say Nucleus?
The standard pronunciation of nucleus is /ˈnjuː.kli.əs/, spoken in 3 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (njuː).