yellowcake

noun

yel·​low·​cake ˈye-lō-ˌkāk How to pronounce yellowcake (audio)
ˈye-lə-
: partially refined uranium ore that is often used as an intermediate step in the production of nuclear weapons

Examples of yellowcake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The monitoring also meant Iran wasn’t able to hide away yellowcake or centrifuges to produce enriched uranium for a covert nuclear-weapons program without the agency knowing about it. — Laurence Norman, WSJ, 8 June 2022 Known as yellowcake uranium, the powdered material requires an enrichment process to convert it to a weapons-grade. — Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 16 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yellowcake was in 1949

Rhymes for yellowcake

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Cite this Entry

“Yellowcake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yellowcake. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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