positron

American  

[poz-i-tron] / ˈpɒz ɪˌtrɒn /

noun

Physics.

1. an elementary particle having the same mass and spin as an electron but having a positive charge equal in magnitude to that of the electron's negative charge; the antiparticle of the electron.

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positron British  

/ ˈpɒzɪˌtrɒn /

noun

1. physics the antiparticle of the electron, having the same mass but an equal and opposite charge. It is produced in certain decay processes and in pair production, annihilation occurring when it collides with an electron

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positron Scientific  

/ pŏz′ĭ-trŏn′ /

1. The antiparticle that corresponds to an electron.

2. Also called antielectron

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positron Cultural  

1. The antiparticle for an electron; it has the same mass as an electron, but carries a positive charge.

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Discover More

Positrons are found in collisions initiated by cosmic rays.

Etymology

Origin of positron

First recorded in 1930–35; posi(tive) + (elec)tron

Example Sentences

Technologies developed for the experiment, such as advanced muonium production targets, low energy positron transport systems, and high resolution detectors, may also find uses in fields like materials science and medical research.

From Science Daily • Feb. 2, 2026

When an electron and positron combine, they release huge amounts of energy.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2024

Though the novel positron approach turned out not to be viable, across the Atlantic, U.S. researchers had heard about the Italian effort and begun to look into things themselves.

From Scientific American • Aug. 28, 2023

Some of the surviving electron antineutrinos will slam into a proton in the scintillator, producing an energetic positron that results in a flash of light.

From Science Magazine • Aug. 22, 2023

The result of their bombardments of boron and other light elements by alpha rays, moreover, had led them to propose that the proton was composed of a neutron and a positive electron, or positron.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik