nucleus

Borrowed from Latin nucleus (“kernel, core”), a diminutive of nux (“nut”). 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 English scientist Michael Faraday in 1844 in a theoretical meaning.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈnjuː.kli.əs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnuːkli.əs/

• Audio (US)

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nucleus (plural nuclei or nucleuses)

1. The core, central part of something, around which other elements are assembled.
2. An initial part or version that will receive additions.

   This collection will form the nucleus of a new library.

3. (chemistry, physics) The massive, positively charged central part of an atom, made up of protons and neutrons.

   Meronyms: proton, neutron, electron

4. (cytology) A large membrane-enclosed organelle found in eukaryotic cells which contains genetic material.
5. (neuroanatomy) A ganglion, cluster of many neuronal bodies where synapsing occurs.
6. (phonetics, phonology) The central part of a syllable, most commonly a vowel.

   Coordinate terms: onset, coda

• nucules, unclues

Borrowed from Latin nūcleus (“kernel, core”), diminutive of nux (“nut”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈnykleːjʏs/

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nucleus m (plural nucleussen or nuclei, diminutive nucleusje n)

1. nucleus, core

• kern

• nucleair
• nucleïne
• nucleon

• nuculeus

A diminutive of nux (“nut”), with an irregular change of gender from feminine to masculine.

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈnu.kle.us/, [ˈnʊkɫ̪eʊs̠] or IPA^(key): /ˈnuk.le.us/, [ˈnʊkɫ̪eʊs̠]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈnu.kle.us/, [ˈnuːkleus] or IPA^(key): /ˈnuk.le.us/, [ˈnukleus]

nucleus m (genitive nucleī); second declension

1. (literally) (small) nut
2. kernel
3. (figuratively) core
4. nucleus

Second-declension noun.

• nucleāris (New Latin)
• nucleātus (New Latin)
• nucleō

• “nū̆clĕus (nŭcŭlĕus)”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• nŭclĕus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette, page 1,043/1
• “nucleus” on page 1,199 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)