# nuclear vs nucleus

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### nuclear
*adjective · IPA /ˈn(j)u.kli.ɚ/ · frequency rank #1,911*
Pertaining to the nucleus of an atom.

### nucleus
*noun · IPA /ˈnjuː.kli.əs/ · frequency rank #13,203*
The core, central part of something, around which other elements are assembled.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nuclear-vs-nucleus