kaon

noun

ka·​on ˈkā-ˌän How to pronounce kaon (audio)
: an unstable meson that occurs in both charged and neutral forms and is about 970 times more massive than an electron

Examples of kaon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The collisions produce a lot of kaons, among other things. — Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2024 The kaons then fly down a roughly 150-meter-long vacuum tunnel. — Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary ka kay (from K-meson, its earlier name) + -on entry 2

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kaon was in 1958

Browse Nearby Words

kaolinize
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kaori
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Cite this Entry

“Kaon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kaon. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.

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