lepton

¹lep·ton

noun \lep-ˈtän\

plural lep·ta \-ˈtä\

Definition of LEPTON

: a former monetary unit equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ drachma

Origin of LEPTON

Modern Greek, from Greek, a small coin, from neuter of leptos peeled, slender, small, from lepein to peel — more at leper

First Known Use: circa 1741

Rhymes with LEPTON

aeon, add-on, agon, agone, Akan, Ambon, Amman, anon, Anshan, archon, argon, Argonne, atman, axon, bank on, barchan, baton, big on, Bion, blouson, bon ton, bonbon, boron, boson, bouillon, bring on, build on, bygone, caisson, call on, canton, capon, cast on, catch on, Ceylon, chaconne, Charon, chew on, chiffon, chiton, chrismon, Cimon, cistron, clip-on, codon, come-on, cordon, coupon, crampon, crayon, crepon, cretonne, crouton, Dacron, dead-on, Dear John, doggone, Dogon, Don Juan, exon, fall on, flacon, foregone, form on, Freon, fronton, futon, Garonne, get on, Gibran, gluon, gnomon, go on, guidon, hadron, Hainan, hand on, hands-on, hang on, have on, hazan, head-on, Henan, hereon, high on, hit on, hogan, hold on, Huainan, icon, intron, ion, jargon, Jinan, jomon, kanban, kaon, Kashan, keen on, Khoisan, Kirman, koan, krypton, kurgan, Kurgan, lauan, let on, lock on, log on, look on, Luzon, macron, Masan, Medan, Memnon, meson, micron, Milan, mod con, moron, mouton, Multan, muon, natron, nekton, neon, nephron, neuron, neutron, ninon, Nippon, nylon, odds-on, Oman, Oran, Orlon, paeon, parton, Pathan, pavane, pecan, peon, Phaëthon, photon, phyton, pick on, pion, piton, plankton, pluton, pompon, prion, proton, Pusan, push on, put-on, pylon, python, racon, radon, rag on, rayon, recon, rhyton, run-on, run on, Saint John, Saipan, salon, San Juan, Schliemann, Schumann, Shaban, shaman, shaitan, Shingon, sign on, sit on, slip-on, snap-on, solon, Solon, soupçon, soutane, stand on, stolon, stuck on, Suwon, sweet on, Taiwan, taipan, take on, tampon, taxon, Teflon, Tehran, teston, thereon, Tian Shan, tisane, torchon, toucan, toyon, trade on, trigon, Tristan, triton, trogon, try on, Tucson, turned-on, turn on, Typhon, tzigane, uhlan, Ulsan, upon, wait on, walk-on, witan, whereon, Wonsan, wonton, work on, Wuhan, xenon, Xi'an, Yukon, Yunnan, zircon

²lep·ton

noun \ˈlep-ˌtän\

Definition of LEPTON

: any of a family of particles (as electrons, muons, and neutrinos) that have spin quantum number ¹⁄₂ and that experience no strong forces

— lep·ton·ic \lep-ˈtä-nik\ adjective

Origin of LEPTON

Greek leptos + English ²-on

First Known Use: circa 1929

lepton

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any member of a class of fermions that respond only to electromagnetic, weak, and gravitational forces and do not take part in strong interactions. Leptons have a half-integral spin and obey the Pauli exclusion principle. They can either carry one unit of electric charge or be neutral. The charged leptons are the electrons, muons, and taus. Each has a negative charge and a distinct mass. Each charged lepton has an associated neutral partner, or neutrino, which has no electric charge and very little if any mass.