noun
Freq #17165
Meanings
-
1
noun
A tiny particle inside an atom that carries a negative electric charge.
Electrons move around the nucleus of an atom.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
1
noun
· a tiny particle inside an...
negatron
Word family
Forms
electrons
Derived forms
antielectroncoelectroncryoelectrondielectronelectrideelectrinoelectronationelectronizeelectronlikeelectronogramimmunoelectroninterelectron
Etymology
Blend of electric + ion, coined by Anglo-Irish scientist George Stoney in 1891, changed by him multiple times from an earlier electrolion and original electrine (used as early as 1874) as the name for the electric charge associated with a univalent ion. Compare electro-, -on. The particle ("corpuscule") was discovered in 1896. The name electrion was proposed for the particle in 1906 but curtailed because Hendrik Lorentz preferred electron.