trans·ura·nic
ˌtran(t)-syu̇-ˈra-nik 
-shə-,
-ˈrā-;
ˌtran-zyu̇-,
-zhə-
variants
or transuranium
: of, relating to, or being an element with an atomic number greater than that of uranium
: a transuranic element
Examples of transuranic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ernest Moniz, Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2011
The final repository for much of the U.S.'s transuranic nuclear waste is a mine, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, or WIPP, located in the southern part of New Mexico, between Carlsbad and the oil town of Hobbs.
—Abe Streep, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023
The most radioactive waste Los Alamos produces, called transuranic waste, primarily involves contaminated gloves, tools, equipment, and other debris that are typically stuffed into 55-gallon drums stored on site until they can be hauled to an underground facility in southeastern New Mexico.
—Time, 24 July 2023
Currently, the subterranean landfill carved out of an ancient salt formation is licensed to take transuranic waste, or waste generated by the nation’s nuclear weapons program that is contaminated with radioactive elements heavier than uranium.
—Susan Montoya Bryan, Fortune, 20 Dec. 2022
Salt is another rock type favored for nuclear waste disposal; the USA uses salt caverns in New Mexico to dispose of transuranic waste (similar to intermediate-level waste) from military sources.
—Howard Lee, Ars Technica, 17 Aug. 2022
So Bormanis came up with his own fictional heavy element, dysonium (named in honor of physicist Freeman Dyson), something with an atomic weight in the 130-135 range—well above the transuranic elements in the period table.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2018
The excavator was digging up transuranic waste — which is waste contaminated with highly radioactive elements.
—Rebecca Boone, The Seattle Times, 18 May 2017
Ashraya Gupta, Scientific American, 7 Sep. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
There is an alternative to disposing of transuranic elements: they can be separated from the reactor fuel every few years and then recycled into new nuclear reactor fuel as an additional energy source.
—Ernest Moniz, Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2011
The final repository for much of the U.S.'s transuranic nuclear waste is a mine, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, or WIPP, located in the southern part of New Mexico, between Carlsbad and the oil town of Hobbs.
—Abe Streep, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023
The most radioactive waste Los Alamos produces, called transuranic waste, primarily involves contaminated gloves, tools, equipment, and other debris that are typically stuffed into 55-gallon drums stored on site until they can be hauled to an underground facility in southeastern New Mexico.
—Time, 24 July 2023
Currently, the subterranean landfill carved out of an ancient salt formation is licensed to take transuranic waste, or waste generated by the nation’s nuclear weapons program that is contaminated with radioactive elements heavier than uranium.
—Susan Montoya Bryan, Fortune, 20 Dec. 2022
Salt is another rock type favored for nuclear waste disposal; the USA uses salt caverns in New Mexico to dispose of transuranic waste (similar to intermediate-level waste) from military sources.
—Howard Lee, Ars Technica, 17 Aug. 2022
So Bormanis came up with his own fictional heavy element, dysonium (named in honor of physicist Freeman Dyson), something with an atomic weight in the 130-135 range—well above the transuranic elements in the period table.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2018
The excavator was digging up transuranic waste — which is waste contaminated with highly radioactive elements.
—Rebecca Boone, The Seattle Times, 18 May 2017
Noun
Meitner and Hahn had published multiple papers on transuranics.
—Ashraya Gupta, Scientific American, 7 Sep. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near transuranic
Cite this Entry
“Transuranic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transuranic. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share