zwitterion

[ tsvit-er-ahy-uhn ]

/ ˈtsvɪt ərˌaɪ ən /

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noun Physical Chemistry.

an ion with both a positive and a negative charge.

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Origin of zwitterion

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

OTHER WORDS FROM zwitterion

zwit·ter·i·on·ic

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

Words nearby zwitterion

zwieback, Zwingli, Zwinglian, zwischenzug, zwiterrion, zwitterion, Zwolle, Zworykin, Zyban, zydeco, zygapophysis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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