f-u-s-i-o-n
FUSION means the process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity, from nuclear physics to culinary arts.
9
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
FUSION represents one of nature's most powerful processes and humanity's most creative impulses. At its core, fusion means the joining or blending of different elements into a unified whole, but this simple definition encompasses phenomena from the hearts of stars to the kitchens of innovative chefs.
In physics, nuclear fusion powers the sun, combining hydrogen atoms to create helium and releasing enormous energy. In cuisine, fusion creates exciting new flavors by blending culinary traditions. In music, fusion genres like jazz fusion merge different styles into innovative sounds. In business, corporate fusion through mergers creates new entities.
The word captures a fundamental creative principle: that combining different elements can produce something greater than the sum of its parts. From cell fusion in biology to data fusion in technology, this concept drives innovation across every field of human endeavor.
"Fusion" comes from Latin "fusio," meaning "a pouring, melting," from the verb "fundere" (to pour, melt). This root also gives us "confuse" (pour together), "diffuse" (pour apart), and "refuse" (pour back). The word entered English in the 16th century, initially referring to melting metals. The nuclear physics sense emerged in the 1940s, while cultural fusion (cuisine, music) gained prominence in the 1970s-80s, reflecting globalization and cultural exchange.
•6-letter words like FUSION are versatile for creating multiple crosswords
•Knowing uncommon but valid words gives you a significant advantage in word games
•FUSION can often be extended with prefixes or suffixes for even more points
•The sun converts 600 million tons of hydrogen into helium every second through nuclear fusion
""I played FUSION on a triple word score and earned a huge number of points.""
""FUSION is one of those words that can really boost your score in word games.""
"The restaurant's fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisines created unexpectedly harmonious flavors."
"Scientists achieved a breakthrough in nuclear fusion, briefly producing more energy than consumed."
Total base points: 9 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 3 | Consonants: 3
Stars are massive fusion reactors where hydrogen nuclei combine under extreme pressure and temperature to form helium. This process, converting matter directly into energy via E=mc², has powered our sun for 4.6 billion years and will continue for billions more.
Unlike nuclear fission (splitting atoms), fusion combines light elements into heavier ones. It produces no long-lived radioactive waste and uses abundant fuel (hydrogen isotopes from seawater), making it the holy grail of clean energy.
Achieving controlled fusion on Earth requires recreating stellar conditions: 100 million degrees Celsius. Projects like ITER use powerful magnets to contain plasma, while recent breakthroughs using lasers achieved "ignition" - producing more energy than input.
Successful fusion power would revolutionize civilization: unlimited clean energy from seawater, no carbon emissions, minimal waste. Though challenges remain, recent advances suggest fusion power plants could operate within decades.
Fusion cuisine emerged from cultural intersections: Chinese-American dishes in 19th century California, French-Vietnamese bánh mì from colonial contact, Japanese-Brazilian cuisine from immigration. These "accidental" fusions paved the way for deliberate culinary experimentation.
1970s California launched intentional fusion, with chefs like Wolfgang Puck blending Asian and European techniques. Korean tacos, sushi burritos, and ramen burgers represent fusion's playful evolution, challenging culinary boundaries.
Successful fusion respects both traditions while creating something new. It's not random mixing but thoughtful combination: understanding why flavors work, how techniques complement, and when traditions can bend without breaking.
Critics argue fusion can dilute authentic cuisines, while advocates see it as culinary evolution. The best fusion honors origins while pushing boundaries, creating dishes that couldn't exist without cultural exchange.
Miles Davis's "Bitches Brew" (1970) fused jazz with rock, creating a new genre. Jazz fusion incorporated electric instruments, rock rhythms, and funk grooves, influencing everything from Weather Report to modern electronic music.
From Afrobeat (African rhythms + jazz/funk) to Bhangra-hip hop, musical fusion creates global sounds. These hybrid genres reflect immigration, technology, and cultural dialogue in an interconnected world.
Contemporary art fuses traditional crafts with modern technology: digital installations in ancient temples, 3D-printed ceramics, AI-generated paintings in classical styles. This fusion questions boundaries between old/new, human/machine.
Creole languages represent linguistic fusion at its purest - new languages born from cultural contact. Modern examples include Spanglish and Singlish, showing how languages naturally fuse in multicultural societies.
The F (4 points) makes FUSION worth 9 base points. Always prioritize placing F on double or triple letter scores. A well-positioned FUSION can score 20-30 points.
Despite the valuable F, the remaining letters (U-S-I-O-N) are all 1-pointers, making FUSION relatively easy to play. This balance between one high-value letter and common letters is ideal.
FUSION extends to FUSIONS (+6). The -SION ending is valuable for parallel plays. Consider related words: CONFUSION (high-scoring with C), INFUSION, or the base word FUSE.
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like FUSION