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noun

neutrino

nyoo-TREE-noh

Neutrino (noun) means a tiny subatomic particle with almost no mass and no electric charge that barely interacts with matter. Example: “Billions of neutrinos from the sun pass through your body every second.”

noun
1
A tiny subatomic particle with almost no mass and no electric charge that barely interacts with matter.
"Billions of neutrinos from the sun pass through your body every second."
"Scientists built a huge underground detector to catch rare neutrino collisions."

How to use neutrino

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn almost weightless, chargeless particle that passes through matter with barely any interaction.

Common pairings
neutrino detector solar neutrino

Word forms

neutrinos plural

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Billions of _____ from the sun pass through your body every second.

Etymology

Coined in 1933 by Italian physicist Enrico Fermi, combining "neutron" with the Italian diminutive ending -ino, meaning roughly "little neutral one."

Origin: Italian · First attested 1933

Class of 1933 neutrino joined the language around 1933.
See the full Class of 1933 →

Rhymes for neutrino

See all rhymes for neutrino →

Frequently asked questions

What does “neutrino” mean?

The word “neutrino” means a tiny subatomic particle with almost no mass and no electric charge that barely interacts with matter. In plain terms, an almost weightless, chargeless particle that passes through matter with barely any interaction.

How do you pronounce “neutrino”?

“Neutrino” is pronounced nyoo-TREE-noh (/nuˈtɹinoʊ/ in IPA).

How do you use “neutrino” in a sentence?

Here is “neutrino” used in a sentence: “Billions of neutrinos from the sun pass through your body every second.”

What part of speech is “neutrino”?

“Neutrino” is a noun.

Where does the word “neutrino” come from?

The word “neutrino” dates back to around 1933 and comes from Italian. Coined in 1933 by Italian physicist Enrico Fermi, combining "neutron" with the Italian diminutive ending -ino, meaning roughly "little neutral one.".

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