isotope
noun
iso·tope
ˈī-sə-ˌtōp 
1
: any of two or more species of atoms of a chemical element with the same atomic number and nearly identical chemical behavior but with differing atomic mass or mass number and different physical properties
2
: nuclide
Examples of isotope in a Sentence
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The team conducted additional radiocarbon and stable isotope tests to determine whether the food buried in the cache pit was from the land or the sea.
—
Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Feb. 2025
Decker Eveleth, analyst with the U.S.-based CNA Corporation, told Reuters that the Chinese research center has four laser bays and an experiment bay that accommodates a target chamber where lasers will fuse hydrogen isotopes together, a satellite image showed.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
The research team found that nitrogen isotope ratios in the tooth enamel of Australopithecus were consistently low, similar to ones examined in herbivores and also lower than ones examined in contemporary carnivores.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025
Unlike nuclear fission – which splits atoms and creates dangerous radioactive waste – fusion uses hydrogen isotopes (like tritium and deuterium) and produces helium as a harmless byproduct.
—New Atlas, 22 Dec. 2024
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Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Feb. 2025
Decker Eveleth, analyst with the U.S.-based CNA Corporation, told Reuters that the Chinese research center has four laser bays and an experiment bay that accommodates a target chamber where lasers will fuse hydrogen isotopes together, a satellite image showed.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
The research team found that nitrogen isotope ratios in the tooth enamel of Australopithecus were consistently low, similar to ones examined in herbivores and also lower than ones examined in contemporary carnivores.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025
Unlike nuclear fission – which splits atoms and creates dangerous radioactive waste – fusion uses hydrogen isotopes (like tritium and deuterium) and produces helium as a harmless byproduct.
—New Atlas, 22 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for isotope
Dictionary Entries Near isotope
Cite this Entry
“Isotope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/isotope. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
isotope
noun
iso·tope
ˈī-sə-ˌtōp
: any of the forms of an element that differ in the number of neutrons in an atom
Medical Definition
isotope
noun
iso·tope
ˈī-sə-ˌtōp
1
: any of two or more species of atoms of a chemical element with the same atomic number and position in the periodic table and nearly identical chemical behavior but with differing atomic mass or mass number and different physical properties
2
: nuclide
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