'nuclear-armed' originates from the combination of 'nuclear,' referring to the energy released in nuclear reactions, and 'armed,' meaning equipped with weapons.

The term 'nuclear' comes from the Latin word 'nucleus,' meaning 'kernel' or 'core,' while 'armed' is derived from the Old French 'armer,' meaning 'to equip with weapons.'

Initially, 'nuclear' referred to the core of an atom, but over time it evolved to describe weapons powered by nuclear reactions.