electron

noun

elec·​tron i-ˈlek-ˌträn How to pronounce electron (audio)
: 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
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The state of any object, from an electron to a galaxy, can be captured by such a vector, pointing in some direction through such a Hilbert space. — Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026 Later experiments at the Beijing Spectrometer and Belle in Japan supported its existence, but all of those observations came from collisions between electrons and positrons. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026 The brain tissues of some animals were imaged with a technique called serial block-face scanning electron microscopy before hibernation, during it, and days after returning to consciousness. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2026 To fix these issues scientists aim to go one layer deeper into the atom, from the electrons on the outside to the nucleus nestled within, and track how energy flips a single neutron between quantum states. — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for electron

Word History

Etymology

electr- + -on entry 2

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of electron was in 1891

Phrases Containing electron

Rhymes for electron

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Browse Nearby Words

electromyograph
electron
electron affinity
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Cite this Entry

“Electron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/electron. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

electron

noun
elec·​tron i-ˈlek-ˌträn How to pronounce electron (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce electron (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on electron

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about electron

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