zwitterion

American  

[tsvit-er-ahy-uhn] / ˈtsvɪt ərˌaɪ ən /

noun

Physical Chemistry.

1. an ion with both a positive and a negative charge.

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zwitterion British  

/ ˌtsvɪtəraɪˈɒnɪk, ˈtsvɪtərˌaɪən /

noun

1. chem an ion that carries both a positive and a negative charge

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Other Word Forms

• zwitterionic adjective

Etymology

Origin of zwitterion

< German Zwitterion (1897), equivalent to Zwitter hybrid, hermaphrodite + Ion ion

Example Sentences

After 14 rounds of words like “probouleutic” and “zwitterion” and “schistorrhachis,” Dev Shah, an eighth grader from Florida, had to wait through one more commercial break.

From New York Times

He won after 14 rounds including words like “probouleutic” and “zwitterion” and “schistorrhachis.”

From New York Times

After 14 rounds of words like “probouleutic” and “zwitterion” and “schistorrhachis,” Dev Shah, an eighth grader from Florida, reached the apotheosis of his craft, correctly spelling “psammophile” to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night.

From New York Times