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Showing results for fermion. Search instead for fermison.

fermion

American  
[fur-mee-on] / ˈfɜr miˌɒn /

noun

Physics.
  1. any particle that obeys the exclusion principle and Fermi-Dirac statistics; fermions have spins that are half an odd integer: 1/2, 3/2, 5/2, …


fermion British  
/ ˈfɜːmɪˌɒn /

noun

  1. any of a group of elementary particles, such as a nucleon, that has half-integral spin and obeys Fermi-Dirac statistics Compare boson

"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

fermion Scientific  
/ fûr′mē-ŏn′,fĕr′- /
  1. An elementary or composite particle, such as an electron, quark, or proton, whose spin is an integer multiple of 1/2. Fermions act on each other by exchanging bosons and are subject to the Pauli exclusion principle, which requires that no two fermions be in the same quantum state. Fermions are named after the physicist Enrico Fermi, who along with Paul Dirac developed quantum statistical models of their behavior.

  2. Compare boson


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of fermion

First recorded in 1945–50; fermi + (mes)on


Compare meaning

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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:

The paper claimed the first discovery of a Majorana fermion, a theoretical particle central to the tech giant’s quantum computing effort.

From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026

"By comparing the two -- one with magnetic spins and one without -- we can confirm we've created a heavy fermion," said Posey.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 17, 2024

Supersymmetry hypothesizes an as-yet-undiscovered boson partner for every fermion, and a fermion partner for each boson.

From New York Times ● May 8, 2023

Physicists are also reassessing particle flavor, a quantum property that defines the species of fermion: up quark, down quark, electron, muon, and so on.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 8, 2022

Massive Dirac fermion on the surface of a magnetically doped topological insulator.

From Nature ● Mar. 18, 2018

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