(DoD, NATO) A weapon in which very high temperatures are used to bring about the fusion of light nuclei such as those of hydrogen isotopes (e.g., deuterium and tritium) with the accompanying release of energy. The high temperatures required are obtained by means of fission.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 31 January 2011.
| APA | Military Dictionary (DoD). (2011). thermonuclear weapon. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/thermonuclear_weapon/definitions/1964423 |
| Chicago | Military Dictionary (DoD). 2011. "thermonuclear weapon" http://smartdefine.org/thermonuclear_weapon/definitions/1964423 (accessed September 25, 2026). |
| Harvard | Military Dictionary (DoD) 2011, thermonuclear weapon, Smart Define, viewed 25 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/thermonuclear_weapon/definitions/1964423>. |
| MLA | Military Dictionary (DoD). "thermonuclear weapon" 4 April 2011. Web. 25 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/thermonuclear_weapon/definitions/1964423> |