axion

American  

[ak-see-on] / ˈæk siˌɒn /

noun

Physics.

1. a hypothetical particle having no charge, zero spin, and small mass: postulated in some forms of quantum chromodynamics.

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axion British  

/ ˈæksɪˌon /

noun

1. physics a hypothetical neutral elementary particle postulated to account for certain conservation laws in the strong interaction

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Etymology

Origin of axion

1978; perhaps axi(al current) + -on ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

axion

Many traditional axion experiments try to convert axions into photons by exposing them to extremely strong magnetic fields inside laboratories.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 6, 2026

The referee suggested that once the axion is discovered and its properties -- especially its mass -- are known, experiments like this could become much more accessible and might even be used in teaching laboratories.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 27, 2026

The high-speed motion of orbiting sensors increases the coupling between axion halos and nucleon spins, producing a tenfold sensitivity improvement compared with Earth-based dark matter searches.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 6, 2025

“If dark matter were a QCD axion, it would essentially be invisible to us,” O’Hare told Salon in a video call.

From Salon ● Dec. 26, 2024

"It seems almost impossible to have a consistent theory of gravity combined with quantum mechanics that does not have particles like the axion," Safdi said.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 21, 2024

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