fissile

From Latin fissilis.

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɪsˌaɪ.əl/, /ˈfɪsˌəl/

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fissile (comparative more fissile, superlative most fissile)

1. Able to be split.
2. (geology) Easily split along a grain.
   • a. 1728 (date written), Isaac Newton, “[The Third Book of Opticks.] [Qu[estion] 25. Are there not other original Properties of the Rays of Light, besides those already described?]”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflections, Refractions, Inflections and Colours of Light. […], 4th edition, London: […] William Innys […], published 1730, →OCLC, page 329:

     This Cryſtal is a pellucid fiſſile Stone, clear as Water or Cryſtal of the Rock, and without Colour; enduring a red Heat without loſing its tranſparency, and in a very ſtrong Heat calcining without Fuſion.

3. (physics) Capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction.
   • 2014 March 30, Choe Sang-hun, “North Korea vows to use 'new form' of nuclear test”, in The New York Times‎^[1]:

     North Korea may soon have access to regular amounts of fissile material if it doesn't already ...

• Silfies

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fissile (plural fissiles)

1. fissile, fissible

• “fissile”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

• IPA^(key): /ˈfis.si.le/
• Rhymes: -issile
• Hyphenation: fìs‧si‧le

fissile m or f (plural fissili)

1. fissile
2. (physics) fissile, fissionable

   Synonym: fissionabile

3. (geology) fissile

• fissilità
• fissione