zwitterion

[ tsvit-er-ahy-uh n ]

/ ˈtsvɪt ərˌaɪ ən /

noun Physical Chemistry.

an ion with both a positive and a negative charge.

Words nearby zwitterion

zwieback, zwingli, zwinglian, zwischenzug, zwitter hypothesis, zwitterion, zwolle, zworykin, zyban, zydeco, zygal

Origin of zwitterion

< German Zwitterion (1897), equivalent to Zwitter hybrid, hermaphrodite + Ion ion

OTHER WORDS FROM zwitterion

zwit·ter·i·on·ic

[tsvit-er-ahy-on-ik] /ˌtsvɪt ər aɪˈɒn ɪk/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for zwitterion

zwitterion

/ (ˈtsvɪtərˌaɪən) /

noun

chem an ion that carries both a positive and a negative charge

Derived forms of zwitterion

zwitterionic (ˌtsvɪtəraɪˈɒnɪk), adjective

Word Origin for zwitterion

C20: from German Zwitter hermaphrodite + ion

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

Medicine definitions for zwitterion

zwitterion

[ zwĭt′ər-ī′ən, swĭt′-, tsvĭt′- ]

n.

dipolar ion

Other words from zwitterion

zwit′ter•i•on′ic (-ī-ŏn′ĭk) adj.