neutrino
UK: njuːˈtriːnəʊ | US: nuːˈtriːnoʊ
n. A subatomic particle with negligible mass and no electric charge, belonging to the lepton family, produced in nuclear reactions or radioactive decay.
neutrino = neutr<neutral> + ino<diminutive suffix (Italian)>
- neutr<neutral>: Derived from Latin neutrum ("neither"), referencing the particle's lack of electric charge.
- ino<diminutive suffix>: Borrowed from Italian, indicating a small or fundamental particle (cf. neutrone → "neutron").
Etymology Origin:
Coined by Italian physicist Enrico Fermi in 1933, neutrino ("little neutral one") was named to distinguish it from the heavier neutron. The term combines Latin neutr- (neutrality) with the Italian diminutive -ino, reflecting both its physical properties and the playful tradition of naming subatomic particles (e.g., proton, electron). The word’s hybrid Latin-Italian structure mirrors the international collaboration in early particle physics.
Neutrinos are so elusive that they can pass through Earth without interacting.
Scientists detected high-energy neutrinos from a distant galaxy.
The Sun emits billions of neutrinos every second.
Neutrino oscillations proved that these particles have mass.
Underground detectors are built to capture rare neutrino interactions.