Nuke Went From Weapon to Microwave
To nuke is to attack with nuclear weapons, or to heat in a microwave. The second sense is a joke that stuck.
To nuke is to attack with a nuclear weapon, and informally to heat food in a microwave or to destroy something utterly. The kitchen sense began as a joke in 1980s American slang, playing on the idea that microwaves were somehow nuclear. They are not: a microwave uses radio waves to shake water molecules, which involves no nuclear process at all, but the name has outlived the misunderstanding. *Nuke* is shortened from *nuclear*, itself from Latin *nucleus*, a kernel or little nut.
- A nuclear weapon. *A nuke.*
- To attack with one. *Nuking a target.*
- To microwave. *Nuke it for a minute.*
- To destroy utterly. *Nuke the file.*
- Latin — *nucleus*, a kernel. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | nuke | A nuke. |
| Verb | nuke | Nuking. |
| Full form | nuclear | Nuclear. |
| Related | nucleus | A nucleus. |
| Latin | nux | A nut. |
- Nuke it for two minutes.Kitchen.
- Microwaves are not nuclear.Correction.
- Nucleus means a kernel.Etymology.
How a microwave actually works
- A magnetron produces radio waves around 2.45 gigahertz
- Water molecules rotate rapidly in the alternating field
- That motion is heat, produced throughout the food
- No nuclear reaction is involved at any point
- Food is not made radioactive
Shortened from *nuclear*, from Latin *nucleus*, a kernel, diminutive of *nux*, a nut.
Does a microwave use nuclear energy?
No. It uses radio waves to make water molecules rotate, which produces heat. The slang name is a joke.
Where does nuclear come from?
From Latin nucleus, a kernel or little nut, because the atomic nucleus sits at the centre like a kernel.