thermionic
adjective
therm·ion·ic
ˌthər-(ˌ)mī-ˈä-nik 
: relating to, using, or being the emission of charged particles (such as electrons) by an incandescent material
Examples of thermionic in a Sentence
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This concept uses the radioisotope to produce a hot surface (typically above 1,500 °C), which then releases electrons via thermionic emission.
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IEEE Spectrum, 25 Aug. 2025
The thermionic diode heat engine invented by Nottingham and Hatsopoulos in the 1950s finally went all the way and produced power with no moving parts.
—Charles A. Berg, The New York Review of Books, 6 June 2019
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IEEE Spectrum, 25 Aug. 2025
The thermionic diode heat engine invented by Nottingham and Hatsopoulos in the 1950s finally went all the way and produced power with no moving parts.
—Charles A. Berg, The New York Review of Books, 6 June 2019
Cite this Entry
“Thermionic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thermionic. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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