fissions
|fiss-ions|
🇺🇸
/ˈfɪʃ.ənz/
🇬🇧
/ˈfɪʃ(ə)nz/
(fission)
splitting
Etymology
'fission' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'fissio,' where the root 'findere' meant 'to split.'
'fission' changed from the Latin noun 'fissio' (derived from 'findere') into scientific New Latin and was later adopted into English as 'fission' in modern scientific usage (established usage expanded notably in the 19th and 20th centuries with biological and nuclear contexts).
Initially, it meant 'a splitting or cleaving,' but over time it evolved into the current specialized senses of 'splitting' used in biology and nuclear physics (and figuratively for group divisions).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or action of splitting into two or more parts, especially the splitting of an atomic nucleus releasing energy (in physics).
The reactor recorded several fissions during the experiment.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
a form of asexual reproduction or division in biology where a cell or organism splits into two or more separate entities (e.g., binary fission).
Many single-celled organisms reproduce by fissions under favorable conditions.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 3
a figurative splitting or division within a group, organization, or movement (political or social schism).
Political fissions within the party led to several prominent departures.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/11 15:18