eigenstate

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noun

A dynamic quantum mechanical state whose wave function is an eigenvector that corresponds to a physical quantity.

UncommonScrabble 11

Meanings

nouneigenstate (plural eigenstates)

plural eigenstates

  1. natural sciencesA dynamic quantum mechanical state whose wave function is an eigenvector that corresponds to a physical quantity.

    In all quantum theories, basis vectors (which are typically eigenstates) are abstractions of the unit basis vectors along the 3D axes. A general state is a vector sum of certain amounts of each basis vector state.

    2013, Robert D. Klauber, Student Friendly Quantum Field Theory, 2nd edition, Fairfield, IA: Sandtrove Press, published 2018, →ISBN, §3.11.4, page 68
    1 more example

    Otherwise, in the case of pure physisorption, adatoms and very small adclusters would not be observed with the STM because the probability for the sharp eigenstates of the adparticles to lie within the 10 meV energy window ( given by the bias voltage ) would be considerably small.

    1987, PDMS and Clusters, page 125

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eyḱ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eh₂óyḱe
  3. Proto-Germanic*aiganą
  4. Proto-Germanic*aiganaz
  5. Proto-West Germanic*aigan
  6. Old High Germaneigan
  7. Middle High Germaneigen
  8. Germaneigen
  9. Englisheigen-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  11. Proto-Indo-European*stéh₂-tu-s ~ *sth₂-téw-s
  12. Proto-Italic*status
  13. Latinstatu
  14. Old Frenchestat
  15. Middle Englishstat
  16. Englishstate
  17. Englisheigenstate

From eigen- + state.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Danish egentilstand
  • egentilstanddynamic quantum mechanical state
Italian autostato
  • autostatodynamic quantum mechanical state
Lithuanian tikrinė būsena, grynoji būsena
  • tikrinė būsenadynamic quantum mechanical state
  • grynoji būsenadynamic quantum mechanical state
Polish stan własny
  • stan własnydynamic quantum mechanical state
Portuguese estado próprio
  • estado própriodynamic quantum mechanical state
Cite this entry
APA

eigenstate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eigenstate

MLA

“eigenstate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eigenstate. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “eigenstate,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eigenstate.

Source: eigenstate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.