Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
quantum number
quantum physics
quantum statistics
quantum theory
quantum well
quar.
quarantine
quarantine flag
quark (1)
quark (2)
quarrel (1)
quarrel (2)
quarrelsome
quarrier
quarry (1)
quarry (2)
quarry (3)
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

quark (1)

quark [ kwawrk ] (plural quarks)


noun 
Definition:
 
basic component of particles: an elementary particle with an electric charge equal to one-third or two-thirds that of the electron. Quarks are believed to be the constituents of baryons and mesons.

[Mid-20th century. Alluding to "three quarks for Mr. Mark" in James Joyce'sFinnegans Wake; because originally there were thought to be three quarks]
Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft