What does neutrino mean?
A neutrino is a fundamental particle with no electric charge and an extremely small mass. It interacts so weakly with matter that it can pass through planets and other large objects almost unhindered. Neutrinos are produced in many nuclear reactions, including those in the Sun and in supernovae, and can travel at nearly the speed of light. Their different forms, known as the electron, muon, and tau flavors, helped scientists establish the phenomenon of neutrino oscillation, showing that neutrinos change as they travel. The word was coined by physicist Wolfgang Pauli in 1930 as part of his proposal for an unobserved particle associated with the conservation of energy. Despite being extraordinarily difficult to detect, neutrinos provide crucial evidence about the Sun, supernovae, and the early universe.
nounA neutrino is a fundamental subatomic particle with no electric charge, an extremely small mass, and a weak tendency to interact with matter. Neutrinos are created in nuclear reactions and particle decays and travel at nearly the speed of light.
- An electrically neutral, weakly interacting fundamental subatomic particle with an extremely small mass.
"The detector recorded neutrinos passing through the Earth from distant astronomical events."
"Scientists detected a burst of neutrinos originating from a distant supernova."
"The experiment measured neutrinos produced in the Sun's nuclear reactions."
Use the plural when referring to multiple neutrinos, a neutrino flux, or neutrinos of different types.
"The researchers recorded neutrinos from the Sun using a large underground detector."
Named for its tiny size and predicted decades before it could be detected, the neutrino holds the universe's most elusive particles.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does neutrino come from?
The word neutrino was coined by Wolfgang Pauli in 1930, drawing on the Italian neuter or neutro, meaning neutral, and the diminutive suffix -ino. English neutral, neuter, and neutron also derive from Latin neuter or related Romance forms meaning neutral, without distinction, or neither of two.
Related word forms
How neutrino is actually used
In physics, the term is normally used in the singular for one particle and in the plural for many particles. The related forms antineutrino, electron neutrino, muon neutrino, and tau neutrino distinguish particle types or opposite particles.
Easily confused with neutrino
A neutron is a neutral particle found in atomic nuclei, whereas a neutrino is an electrically neutral elementary particle that generally passes through matter.