metastable
Americanadjective
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Metallurgy. chemically unstable in the absence of certain conditions that would induce stability, but not liable to spontaneous transformation.
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Physics, Chemistry. Also pertaining to a body or system existing at an energy level metastable state above that of a more stable state and requiring the addition of a small amount of energy to induce a transition to the more stable state.
adjective
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(of a body or system) having a state of apparent equilibrium although capable of changing to a more stable state
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(of an atom, molecule, ion, or atomic nucleus) existing in an excited state with a relatively long lifetime
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of metastable
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.
Li ions move to the nearest Li position always passing through metastable positions.
From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2024
Analogously, isolated social states such as the former country of East Germany can persist in a metastable state for decades until the isolating boundaries are breached by outside influences.
From Science Daily • Jan. 11, 2024
In their current research, the scientists are examining the metastable state of liquids with negative pressure.
From Science Daily • Sep. 25, 2023
Figure 30.37 One atom in the metastable state spontaneously decays to a lower level, producing a photon that goes on to stimulate another atom to de-excite.
From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015
It's a metastable state at best, all too likely to collapse into tyranny.
From The Sensitive Man by Anderson, Poul William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
