meson

noun

me·​son ˈme-ˌzän 

ˈme-ˌsän,

ˈmā-ˌzän,

ˈmā-ˌsän  ˈmē-ˌzän  ˈmē-ˌsän 

: any of a group of fundamental particles (such as the pion and kaon) made up of a quark and an antiquark that are subject to the strong force and have zero or an integer number of quantum units of spin

mesonic

me-ˈzä-nik 

me-ˈsä-

mā-ˈzä-

mā-ˈsä- 

mē-ˈzä-

mē-ˈsä- 

adjective

Examples of meson in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The protons and neutrons have three quarks (and gluons), and there's a whole family of particles called mesons, which contain two quarks (and gluons). —Paul Sutter, Space.com, 24 Dec. 2024

Any leakage is carried by the color-neutral pion and kindred mesons. —Aaron Shattuck, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024

The residual strong force that these mesons mediate is also hugely important. —Aaron Shattuck, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024

One of these bizarre particles, called the phi meson, sits at the heart of these latest befuddling results. —Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 2 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary mes- + -on entry 2

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing meson

• K-meson
• pi-meson

Rhymes for meson

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

Kids Definition

meson

noun

me·​son ˈmez-ˌän  ˈmes-  ˈmā-ˌzän  ˈmē- 

-ˌsän

: any of a group of elementary particles that act strongly on one another and are among the products of nuclear collisions

Medical Definition

meson

noun

me·​son ˈmez-ˌän  ˈmēz- 

ˈmēs-,

ˈmes-

: any of a group of unstable elementary particles that are subject to nuclear forces and have masses much greater than that of the electron

mesonic

me-ˈzän-ik  mē- 

-ˈsän-

adjective