electron

noun

elec·​tron i-ˈlek-ˌträn 

: an elementary particle consisting of a charge of negative electricity equal to about 1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ coulomb and having a mass when at rest of about 9.109 × 10⁻³¹ kilogram or about ¹/₁₈₃₆ that of a proton

Examples of electron in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Interference occurs due to the wave-like nature of electrons, photons, and other quantum particles. —Britney Nguyen, Quartz, 22 Jan. 2025

While the exchange of electrons with sulfur is relatively slow, iodine undergoes electron exchange (technically termed a redox reaction) extremely quickly. —Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 17 Jan. 2025

The epoch of reionization describes the period from 680 million years to 1.1 billion years after the Big Bang, during which high-energy light began to strip electrons away from hydrogen ions, allowing light to travel freely once more. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 17 Jan. 2025

Electric motors are dense hunks of metal, thus are heavy; power cables thick enough to carry the heavy electron flow needed to generate hundreds of horsepower are also not light. —Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

electr- + -on entry 2

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing electron

• Auger electron
• Auger electron spectroscopy
• electron cloud
• electron gas
• electron gun
• electron micrograph
• electron microscope
• electron multiplier
• electron optics
• electron probe
• electron transport
• electron tube
• electron volt
• free-electron laser
• scanning electron microscope
• valence electron

Kids Definition

electron

noun

elec·​tron i-ˈlek-ˌträn 

: an elementary particle that has a negative charge of electricity and travels around the nucleus of an atom

Medical Definition

electron

noun

elec·​tron i-ˈlek-ˌträn 

: an elementary particle consisting of a charge of negative electricity equal to about 1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ coulomb and having a mass when at rest of about 9.109534 × 10⁻²⁸ gram or about ¹/₁₈₃₆ that of a proton