triton

/ˈtraɪtən/
noun
  1. In Greek mythology, a sea god with the upper body of a man and the lower body of a fish, often shown blowing a conch shell.
    • In the story, Triton calms the ocean waves with his conch shell.
    • Ancient artists often painted Triton alongside other sea creatures.
    • The fountain in the park features a statue of Triton holding a shell.
  2. A type of large marine snail with a spiral shell, or the shell itself.
    • The triton snail uses its foot to move along the ocean floor.
    • Collectors prize the triton for its long, pointed shape.
    • We found a beautiful triton shell on the beach after the storm.
  3. The nucleus of a tritium atom, consisting of one proton and two neutrons.
    • A triton is released when a neutron hits a lithium atom.
    • Physicists study the triton to understand nuclear reactions.
    • The mass of a triton is slightly more than that of a proton.
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