nuclei
🇺🇸 /ˈnuːkliːˌaɪ/
📖 Definitions
-
noun
Plural of nucleus; the central and most important part of an object, movement, or group, forming the basis for its activity and growth.; The positively charged central core of an atom, consisting of protons and neutrons, containing nearly all the atom's mass.; A cluster of specialized nerve cells in the brain or spinal cord that perform a specific function.; The central part of a comet, consisting of ice, dust, and rocky material.
🔗 Details
Word forms
countable
Plural: nuclei, nucleuses
Collocations
cell nucleusatomic nucleusnucleus of the cellnucleus of an atomcaudate nucleus
Derivatives
nuclearnucleicnucleatenucleolusnucleotidenucleonnucleationenucleate
Synonyms
corecenterhearthubkernel
Antonyms
peripheryshellsurface
Commonly confused
nucleolus
EN: A nucleolus is a small structure within the cell nucleus involved in ribosome production; the nucleus is the entire organelle.
nucleon
EN: A nucleon is a proton or neutron (a particle within the atomic nucleus); the nucleus is the whole central core of an atom.
Spelling tips
EN: The standard scientific plural is 'nuclei' (pronounced /ˈnjuːkliaɪ/); avoid the common misspelling 'nucleii'. The regularized plural 'nucleuses' is also acceptable but less common in scientific writing.
💬 Examples
-
The nuclei of the cells were stained with a fluorescent dye for observation under the microscope.
-
Hydrogen nuclei fuse together in the sun to produce helium and release enormous amounts of energy.
-
The basal nuclei are involved in the regulation of voluntary motor movements.
-
The nuclei of comets are often only a few kilometers across despite their spectacular tails.