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elementary particle
noun
: any of the particles of which matter and energy are composed or which mediate the fundamental forces of nature
especially
: one whose existence has not been attributed to the combination of other more fundamental entities
Examples of elementary particle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But why should space-time have such wild terrain, and only at the scale of elementary particles?
—Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 2024
As a young man, Dr Heil was a physics graduate working in the field of elementary particles at the CERN in Switzerland.
—Benny Har-Even, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024
While the Higgs tall tales suggest that mass arises from the slowing of elementary particles by a molasses-like substance, the truth is that a stronger Higgs field makes the elementary particles vibrate at higher frequencies, thus raising their masses.
—Matt Strassler, Quanta Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024
For the Higgs field, the curvature of the sombrero’s brim is determined by the mass of the Higgs boson, the elementary particle that conveys the Higgs field’s effects, which was discovered at the Large Hadron Collider in 2012.
—Quanta Magazine, 22 July 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1934, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of elementary particle was
in 1934
Dictionary Entries Near elementary particle
Cite this Entry
“Elementary particle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elementary%20particle. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
elementary particle
noun
: any of the particles (as electrons or photons) of matter and energy that are smaller than atoms and do not appear to be made up of a combination of more basic things
Medical Definition
elementary particle
noun1
: any of the particles of which matter and energy are composed or which mediate the fundamental forces of nature
especially
: one (as the photon or the electron) whose existence has not been attributed to the combination of other more fundamental entities
2
: one of the structural units of mitochondrial cristae that are observable by the electron microscope usually as spheres or stalked spheres and are probably the seat of fundamental energy-producing reactions
More from Merriam-Webster on elementary particle
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about elementary particle
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