Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

photon

/ˈfəʊtɒn/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.32 in modern English

Syllables: pho-ton
IPA: /ˈfəʊtɒn/

11

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The quantum of light and other electromagnetic energy, regarded as a discrete particle having zero rest mass, no electric charge, and an indefinitely long lifetime. It is a gauge boson.

Example Sentences

"The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some distinct visual advantages. Such lenses can take in photons from a wide range of angles, increasing light sensitivity. They also have high spatial resolution, resolving incoming images in minute detail."

Etymology

From photo- + -on. Coined by American physicist Leonard Troland in 1916 as a unit of light hitting the retina, and later popularized in a more modern sense by Gilbert N. Lewis, with the term gaining acceptance in the physics community by the late 1920s.

Word Breakdown

Prefix: photo-
Suffix: -on

Inflected Forms

photons (plural)

Derived Forms

antiphoton biophoton biphoton diphoton graviphoton monophoton multiphoton notoph photino photonic photonics superphoton

Phrases

dual photon absorptiometry last photon orbit photon belt photon circle photon mapping photon sail photon sphere photon tunnelling

Frequently Paired Words

phonon plasmon

Rhymes With

proton

Questions

How do you pronounce photon?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfəʊtɒn/.
What does photon mean?: The quantum of light and other electromagnetic energy, regarded as a discrete particle having zero rest mass, no electric charge, and an indefinitely long lifetime. It is a gauge boson.
Where does photon come from?: From photo- + -on. Coined by American physicist Leonard Troland in 1916 as a unit of light hitting the retina, and later popularized in a more modern sense by Gilbert N. Lewis, with the term gaining acceptance in the physics community by the late 1920s.

How to pronounce photon

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “photon”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈfəʊtɒn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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