Positron
/ˈpɒzɪtrɒn/noun
The antimatter counterpart of the electron, having the same mass but a positive electric charge.
Did you know?The positron was the first clearly observed particle of antimatter, discovered in cosmic rays by physicist Carl Anderson in 1932.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*paǵ-
“To fasten or fix in place”
Classical Latin
Latin
ponere
“To put, place, or set”
Classical Latin
Latin
positus
“Placed or set; the source of the English element posit-”
19th Century
English
electron
“A negatively charged subatomic particle; coined from Greek ēlektron, “amber””
1932
English
positron
“A coined blend of positive and electron, naming the positively charged antimatter counterpart”
Modern English
English
positron
“The positively charged antiparticle of the electron”