Higgs boson

noun

: an elementary particle that has zero spin and large mass and that is required by some gauge theories to account for the masses of other elementary particles

Word History

Etymology

Peter W. Higgs born1929 British physicist

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Higgs boson was in 1974

Dictionary Entries Near Higgs boson

Cite this Entry

“Higgs boson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Higgs%20boson. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Higgs boson

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!