reactor

[ree-ak-ter]

noun

1. a person or thing that reacts or undergoes reaction.

2. Electricity.,  a device whose primary purpose is to introduce reactance into a circuit.

3. Immunology, Veterinary Medicine.,  a patient or animal that reacts positively towards a foreign material.

4. Physics.,  nuclear reactor.

5. Chemistry.,  (especially in industry) a large container, as a vat, for processes in which the substances involved undergo a chemical reaction.

reactor

/ rɪˈæktə /

noun

1. chem a substance, such as a reagent, that undergoes a reaction

2. short for nuclear reactor

3. a vessel, esp one in industrial use, in which a chemical reaction takes place

4. a coil of low resistance and high inductance that introduces reactance into a circuit

5. med a person sensitive to a particular drug or agent

Other Word Forms

• nonreactor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of reactor¹

First recorded in 1885–90; 1940–45 reactor for def. 4; react + -or ²

Example Sentences

Babcock at Rosyth is also running a trial project, begun earlier this year, to dismantle 23 retired submarines which were powered by nuclear reactors.

From BBC

The company added that its teams were "carrying out the necessary diagnostics and interventions" to get both reactors fully back online.

From BBC

It is produced by nuclear fission for use in medical gauges and devices, but can also be a byproduct of nuclear reactors and weapons testing, the agency said.

From Los Angeles Times

It can be expensive to buy and maintain – the process is so intense it requires a complex reactor and regular cleaning.

From BBC

Some Oregon progressives give a nod to the bureaucracy that once mired nuclear reactors and say it’s time to give windmills and solar panels a faster pass.

From Salon