gluon

noun

glu·​on ˈglü-ˌän How to pronounce gluon (audio)
: a hypothetical neutral massless particle held to bind together quarks to form hadrons

Examples of gluon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Deeply locked within the physics of gluon self-interactions, however, is a mechanism that makes gluons behave as heavy particles at low momentum. Aaron Shattuck, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024 With the success of the new theory of quarks and gluons, Lagrangians were once again in ascendance. Quanta Magazine, 23 May 2024 The same rule applies to interactions between quarks and gluons and between gluons and gluons. Stanley J. Brodsky, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024 In this way, physicists have fully defined theories of gluons and other particles purely with S-matrices, avoiding Lagrangians. Quanta Magazine, 23 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for gluon 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gluon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gluon was in 1971

Dictionary Entries Near gluon

Cite this Entry

“Gluon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gluon. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024.

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