exciton

E1X8C3I1T1O1N1
/ˈɛksɪtən//ɪkˈsaɪtɑn//ɛkˈsaɪtɒn/

noun

A bound state of an electron and an electron hole in an insulator or semiconductor

OriginEnglish electronbf. ← Ancient Greek ἰόν (ión) ← Proto-Hellenic *éimi →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounexciton (plural excitons)

plural excitons

  1. natural sciencesA bound state of an electron and an electron hole in an insulator or semiconductor

Origin

  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. Englishexciton

From excite + -on.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 激子
  • 激子 (jīzǐ)bound state of electron and hole
Finnish eksitoni
  • eksitonibound state of electron and hole
French exciton
  • excitonbound state of electron and hole
German Exziton
  • Exzitonbound state of electron and hole
Italian eccitone
  • eccitonebound state of electron and hole
Japanese 励起子
  • 励起子 (rēki-shi)bound state of electron and hole
Korean 여기자, 엑시톤
  • 여기자 (yeogija)bound state of electron and hole
  • 엑시톤 (eksiton)bound state of electron and hole
Portuguese excitão
  • excitãobound state of electron and hole

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

xenotic
Cite this entry
APA

exciton. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exciton

MLA

“exciton.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exciton. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “exciton,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exciton.

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