hadron

/ˈhædrɑn/
noun
  1. A type of subatomic particle made of quarks, held together by the strong nuclear force. Protons and neutrons are examples of hadrons.
    • Protons and neutrons are the most common hadrons found in atomic nuclei.
    • The Large Hadron Collider smashes hadrons together at high speeds to study matter.
    • Scientists classify hadrons into two groups: baryons and mesons.
Synonyms