fissileness
|fis-si-len-ess|
/ˈfɪsɪl.nəs/
(fissile)
capable of splitting
Etymology
'fissileness' originates from Latin, specifically the adjective 'fissilis', where the root 'findere' meant 'to split'.
'fissilis' passed into Late Latin and then influenced French/English formation; the English adjective 'fissile' was formed from Latin-derived elements, and the noun 'fissileness' was later created by adding the suffix '-ness' to denote the quality of being fissile.
Initially, the Latin root related to 'split' or 'cleave'; over time the English derivatives came to mean 'able to be split' and the noun now denotes the 'quality of being fissile' in both geological and nuclear contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being readily split along natural planes or layers; tendency of a rock or mineral to split into thin sheets (geology).
The fissileness of the shale made it easy for miners to split it into thin slabs.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
the property of being capable of undergoing nuclear fission; the degree to which a material can sustain fission reactions (nuclear physics).
Scientists measured the fissileness of the sample to assess its potential as reactor fuel.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/21 14:25