'nuclear-reliant' originates from the combination of 'nuclear' and 'reliant', where 'nuclear' refers to energy derived from atomic reactions and 'reliant' means dependent on something.

'Nuclear-reliant' is a modern term that combines 'nuclear', a term popularized in the 20th century, with 'reliant', a word from Middle English 'relyen'.

Initially, it meant 'dependent on nuclear energy or weapons', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.