isotope
noun
iso·tope
ˈī-sə-ˌtōp 
1
: any of two or more species of atoms of a chemical element with the same atomic number and nearly identical chemical behavior but with differing atomic mass or mass number and different physical properties
2
: nuclide
Examples of isotope in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Zinc occurs in atomic variants (isotopes) of different weights, and is ingested with food.
—
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
McCormack and colleagues extracted zinc from the fossil teeth, an element that occurs in isotopes of different weights.
—David Bressan, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
One theory suggests Mars lost its water to space as solar wind stripped it from the atmosphere — a process supported by ratios of isotopes on the Red Planet, or distinct species of chemical elements, seen today.
—Victoria Corless, Space.com, 12 May 2025
Additionally, the study of chemical isotopes — variants of carbon and nitrogen that reflect plant or animal proteins consumed — from a bone sample taken from the mummy’s spine revealed a high-quality diet based on grain and a large proportion of meat.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for isotope
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Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
McCormack and colleagues extracted zinc from the fossil teeth, an element that occurs in isotopes of different weights.
—David Bressan, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
One theory suggests Mars lost its water to space as solar wind stripped it from the atmosphere — a process supported by ratios of isotopes on the Red Planet, or distinct species of chemical elements, seen today.
—Victoria Corless, Space.com, 12 May 2025
Additionally, the study of chemical isotopes — variants of carbon and nitrogen that reflect plant or animal proteins consumed — from a bone sample taken from the mummy’s spine revealed a high-quality diet based on grain and a large proportion of meat.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for isotope
Cite this Entry
“Isotope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/isotope. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
isotope
noun
iso·tope
ˈī-sə-ˌtōp
: any of the forms of an element that differ in the number of neutrons in an atom
Medical Definition
isotope
noun
iso·tope
ˈī-sə-ˌtōp
1
: any of two or more species of atoms of a chemical element with the same atomic number and position in the periodic table and nearly identical chemical behavior but with differing atomic mass or mass number and different physical properties
2
: nuclide
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