B factory

noun

variants or less commonly B-factory

ˈbē-ˈfak-t(ə-)rē 

: a particle accelerator designed to produce B mesons

Indeed, at least one worker thinks Fermilab will be as significant as—and in some ways superior to—the "B factory" planned for Stanford University to explore why matter dominates antimatter in the universe.

—Philip Yam, Scientific American, July 1994

Cornell will develop a smaller B-factory with National Science Foundation funding.

—Robert C. Cowen, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Dec. 1993

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!