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deuteron

American

[doo-tuh-ron, dyoo-] / ˈdu təˌrɒn, ˈdju- /

noun

Physics.

a positively charged particle consisting of a proton and a neutron, equivalent to the nucleus of an atom of deuterium.

deuteron British

/ ˈdjuːtəˌrɒn /

noun

the nucleus of a deuterium atom, consisting of one proton and one neutron

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

deuteron Scientific

/ do̅o̅′tə-rŏn′ /

The nucleus of a deuterium atom, consisting of a proton and a neutron. It is regarded as a subatomic particle with unit positive charge.

Etymology

Origin of deuteron

1933; < Greek deúter ( os ) second + -on ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

deuteron

A deuteron contains just one proton and one neutron, held together by a relatively weak force.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 27, 2025

In HD+, a proton is replaced by a deuteron, which makes the molecule more accessible in spectroscopic terms.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 27, 2024

Then the deuteron captures another proton to form a helium isotope and emits a gamma-ray photon.

From Scientific American ● Feb. 20, 2022

Ultraprecise measurements of the proton and deuteron masses can be used to predict the quantum states of a molecule made of a deuteron and a hydrogen atom, which can be probed by lasers.

From Science Magazine ● Nov. 30, 2021

“Ernest’s love affair with the deuteron beam was legendary,” Luis Alvarez would observe later.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023