W particle

American

noun

Physics.

either of two types of charged intermediate vector bosons, one having a positive charge and the other a negative charge. W + , W −

W particle British

noun

Also called: W boson. physics a type of elementary particle with either a positive or negative charge considered to transmit the weak interaction between other elementary particles. W particles have a rest mass of 1.435 × 10 ^–25 kg See also Z particle

"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

W particle Scientific

See W boson

Etymology

Origin of W particle

First recorded in 1970–75; apparently for weak

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.

That would also include studies of the W particle and bottom quark, which would also be produced in profusion.

From Scientific American • Sep. 29, 2011

The W particle will then decay in a characteristic way, leaving an unambiguous record of the neutrino’s passage.

From Economist • Apr. 7, 2011

The detection of the W particle is an example of extraordinary scientific sleuthing, comparable to finding a missing person in a crowd of a billion people.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023