heavy water

noun

1
: the compound D2O composed of deuterium and oxygen

called also deuterium oxide

2
: water enriched in deuterium

Examples of heavy water in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This geometric frustration is even worse in ices made of heavy water, whose hydrogen atoms have a neutron as well as a proton—a problem for scientists who use heavy ices in experiments to reveal ice crystals’ precise structures. Elise Cutts, Scientific American, 19 Mar. 2024 Explore our new section Opponents say the tunnel is a boondoggle that would further imperil the delta’s fragile ecosystem, which has already been eroded by heavy water withdrawals for agriculture and cities. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Additionally, the sanctions waiver also applies to the export of enriched uranium and heavy water outside of Iran which was needed to keep Iran within its stockpile limits under the 2015 nuclear deal, intended to stop Iran from gaining the capacity to produce a nuclear weapon. William Mauldin, WSJ, 4 Feb. 2022 So over millions of years, this process of water formation tends to concentrate deuterium in heavy water. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2022 See all Example Sentences for heavy water 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heavy water.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1933, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heavy water was in 1933

Dictionary Entries Near heavy water

Cite this Entry

“Heavy water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavy%20water. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

heavy water

noun
: water enriched in deuterium

Medical Definition

heavy water

noun
1
: the compound D2O composed of deuterium and oxygen

called also deuterium oxide

2
: water having a higher-than-usual proportion of deuterium among its hydrogen atoms

More from Merriam-Webster on heavy water

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