Etymology

exciton

E1X8C3I1T1O1N1

Today it means: A bound state of an electron and an electron hole in an insulator or semiconductor Full definition →

English electronbf. ← Ancient Greek ἰόν (ión) ← Proto-Hellenic *éimi
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The story

  1. Englishexcite
  2. Ancient Greekἤλεκτρον (ḗlektron)
  3. Latinēlectrum
  4. New Latinēlectricus
  5. Englishelectric
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₁ey-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éyti
  8. Proto-Hellenic*éimi
  9. Ancient Greekἰόν (ión)
  10. Englishion
  11. Englishelectronbf.
  12. English todayexciton

From excite + -on.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.