fission

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: fis=sion

CIDE DICTIONARY

fission, n. [L. fissio. See Fissure.].

•  A cleaving, splitting, or breaking up into parts.  [1913 Webster]
•  A method of asexual reproduction among the lowest (unicellular) organisms by means of a process of self-division, consisting of gradual division or cleavage of the into two parts, each of which then becomes a separate and independent organisms; as when a cell in an animal or plant, or its germ, undergoes a spontaneous division, and the parts again subdivide. See Segmentation, and Cell division, under Division.  [1913 Webster]
•  A process by which certain coral polyps, echinoderms, annelids, etc., spontaneously subdivide, each individual thus forming two or more new ones. See Strobilation.  [1913 Webster]
•  The act or process of disintegration of an atomic nucleus into two or more smaller pieces; called also nuclear fission. The process may be spontaneous or induced by capture of neutrons or other smaller nuclei, and usually proceeds with evolution of energy.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

fission, n. & v.
--n.
1 Physics the spontaneous or impact-induced splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus, accompanied by a release of energy.
2 Biol. the division of a cell etc. into new cells etc. as a mode of reproduction.
--v.intr. & tr. undergo or cause to undergo fission.

Idiom

fission bomb an atomic bomb.

Derivative

fissionable adj.

Etymology

L fissio (as FISSURE)

THESAURUS

fission

ablate, abscission, accelerate, activate, alpha decay, amputation, atom-chipping, atom-smashing, atomic disintegration, atomic reaction, atomization, atomize, beta decay, bifurcate, bisect, bombard, bombardment, branch, break into pieces, break to pieces, break up, breeding, bullet, butchering, by two, catalysis, catalyst, chain reaction, chopping, cleavage, cleave, come apart, consume, corrode, crack up, crash, cross-bombard, crumble, crumble into dust, crunch, crush, cut in two, cut to pieces, cutting, decay, decompose, demolish, dialysis, dichotomize, dichotomy, diffuse, dimidiate, disintegrate, disintegration series, disjoin, disorganize, disperse, disrupt, dissociation, dissolve, divide, enucleation, erode, exchange reaction, excision, fall to pieces, fission reaction, fork, fragment, gamma decay, grind, halve, hydrolysis, hydrolyst, in half, ionization, laceration, make mincemeat of, mince, molder, mutilation, neutron reaction, nonreversible reaction, nuclear fission, nucleization, nucleize, photodisintegration, photolysis, proton gun, proton reaction, pulverize, ramify, rending, resection, reversible reaction, ripping, scatter, scission, section, severance, shatter, shiver, slashing, slicing, smash, smash the atom, smash up, splinter, split, split in two, splitting, splitting the atom, squash, squish, stimulation, subdivide, surgery, target, tearing, thermolysis, thermonuclear reaction, transect, waste away, wear away

ROGET THESAURUS

fission

Disjunction

N disjunction, disconnection, disunity, disunion, disassociation, disengagement, discontinuity, abjunction, cataclasm, inconnection, abstraction, abstractedness, isolation, insularity, insulation, oasis, island, separateness, severalty, disjecta membra, dispersion, apportionment, separation, parting, circumcision, detachment, segregation, divorce, sejunction, seposition, diduction, diremption, discerption, elision, caesura, break, fracture, division, subdivision, rupture, compartition, dismemberment, dislocation, luxation, severance, disseverance, scission, rescission, abscission, laceration, dilaceration, disruption, abruption, avulsion, divulsion, section, resection, cleavage, fission, partibility, separability, fissure, breach, rent, split, rift, crack, slit, incision, dissection anatomy, decomposition, cutting instrument, buzzsaw, circular saw, rip saw, separatist, disjoined, discontinuous, multipartite, abstract, disjunctive, secant, isolated, insular, separate, disparate, discrete, apart, asunder, far between, loose, free, unattached, unannexed, unassociated, unconnected, distinct, adrift, straggling, rift, reft, scissile, divisible, discerptible, partible, separable, separately, one by one, severally, apart, adrift, asunder, in twain, in the abstract, abstractedly.