exciton

noun

ex·​ci·​ton ˈek-sə-ˌtän How to pronounce exciton (audio)
-ˌsī-
: a mobile combination of an electron and a hole in an excited crystal (as of a semiconductor)
excitonic adjective

Examples of exciton in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The study authors focused on creating quasiparticles called exciton-polaritons. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026 Now, under normal conditions, one photon excites one electron, creating a single unit of usable energy, known as an exciton. New Atlas, 13 Apr. 2026 Luis Jauregui The associate professor and director of UC Irvine’s Quantum Materials and Devices Lab, worked with post-doctoral student Jinyu Liu to discover a new state of matter – excitons. Todd Harmonson, Oc Register, 18 Dec. 2025 Instead of knocking excitons around, phonons in this molecule bind to them to create a new quasiparticle that flow freely through the semiconductor at twice the speed of electrons. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary excitation + -on entry 2

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exciton was in 1936

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Cite this Entry

“Exciton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exciton. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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