boson

noun

bo·​son ˈbō-ˌsän How to pronounce boson (audio) -ˌzän How to pronounce boson (audio)
: a particle (such as a photon or meson) whose spin quantum number is zero or an integral number compare fermion
bosonic
ˌbō-ˈsä-nik How to pronounce boson (audio)
-ˈzä-
adjective

Examples of boson in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The researchers considered an idealized case in which both rubidium and krypton atoms behaved as bosons. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026 Yet in the mathematical equations that define the Standard Model, the eight gluons are distinct from one another in the same way that the W and Z bosons differ. — Quanta Magazine, 15 June 2026 The theory of electroweak unification was vindicated with the subsequent discovery of the massive W-and-Z bosons, and later, the entire mechanism was validated with the discovery of the Higgs boson. — Big Think, 23 Apr. 2026 The neutrino is nearly as elusive as the W boson, but CMS can study muons very precisely. — Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for boson

Word History

Etymology

Satyendranath Bose †1974 Indian physicist + -on entry 2

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of boson was in 1947

Phrases Containing boson

Browse Nearby Words

bosomy
boson
Bosporan
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Cite this Entry

“Boson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boson. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on boson

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boson

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