particle physics

American  

noun

1. the branch of physics that deals with the properties and behavior of elementary particles.

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particle physics British  

noun

1. Also called: high-energy physics.  the study of fundamental particles and their properties

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particle physics Scientific  

1. The branch of physics that deals with subatomic particles.

2. See also quantum field theory quantum mechanics

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particle physics Cultural  

1. The branch of science devoted to the study of the basic constituents of matter, particularly the constituents of the atomic nucleus.

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Etymology

Origin of particle physics

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The British physicist-turned-computer scientist conceived the web in 1989 while working at CERN, the European particle physics lab in Switzerland.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

If confirmed, these hints would overturn the theory, called the Standard Model, that has dominated particle physics for 50 years.

From Science Daily • May 26, 2026

Because of this extreme complexity, accurately predicting the muon's behavior within the Standard Model has remained one of the most difficult problems in particle physics.

From Science Daily • May 19, 2026

Correction: this article was updated to make clear that the 30% cut announced to funding for particle physics and astronomy research was "likely" rather than confirmed, as originally implied.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

In fact, everything in particle physics was about to get a whole lot more complicated.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• quantum mechanics