isotope

I1S1O1T1O1P3E1
UK/ˈaɪ.sə.təʊp/US/ˈaɪ.sə.toʊp/

noun

Any of two or more forms of an element where the atoms have the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons within their nuclei. Thus, isotopes have the same atomic number but a different mass number.

Less commonScrabble 9
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Meanings

isotope1

nounisotope (plural isotopes)

plural isotopes

  1. nuclear physicsAny of two or more forms of an element where the atoms have the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons within their nuclei. Thus, isotopes have the same atomic number but a different mass number.

isotope2

verbisotope (third-person singular simple present isotopes, present participle isotoping, simple past and past participle isotoped)

present singular third person isotopes · participle present isotoping · participle past isotoped · past isotoped

  1. transitivemathematicsTo define or demonstrate an isotopy of (one map with another).

Origin

isotope · noun

From iso- (“equal”) + -tope (“place”), because the different isotopes of an element always occupy the same place in the periodic table. The term was coined by Scottish doctor Margaret Todd in 1909 and first used publicly on February 27, 1913 by English chemist Frederick Soddy.

Full word history & related roots →

isotope · verb

Possible back-formation from isotopy.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic نَظِير
  • نَظِير (naẓīr)atoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Basque isotopo
  • isotopoatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Bulgarian изото́п
  • изото́п (izotóp)atoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Catalan isòtop
  • isòtopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Chinese Mandarin 同位素
  • 同位素 (tóngwèisù)atoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Czech izotop
  • izotopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Danish isotop
  • isotopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Dutch isotoop
  • isotoopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Esperanto izotopo
  • izotopoatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Estonian isotoop
  • isotoopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Finnish isotooppi
  • isotooppiatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
French isotope
  • isotopeatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
German Isotop
  • Isotopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Greek ισότοπο
  • ισότοπο (isótopo)atoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Hindi समस्थानिक
  • समस्थानिक (samasthānik)atoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Hungarian izotóp
  • izotópatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Icelandic samsæta, ísótópur
  • samsætaatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
  • ísótópuratoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Irish iseatóp
  • iseatópatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Italian isotopo
  • isotopoatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Japanese 同位体
  • 同位体 (dōitai)atoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Korean 동위 원소
  • 동위 원소 (dong'wi wonso)atoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Lithuanian izotopas
  • izotopasatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Malay isotop
  • isotopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Māori kanoirite
  • kanoiriteatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Norwegian Bokmål isotop
  • isotopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Persian ایزوتوپ
  • ایزوتوپ (izotop)atoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Polish izotop
  • izotopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Portuguese isótopo
  • isótopoatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Romanian izotop
  • izotopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Russian изото́п
  • изото́п (izotóp)atoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Spanish isótopo
  • isótopoatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Swedish isotop
  • isotopatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Tagalog kahasik
  • kahasikatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Ukrainian ізото́п
  • ізото́п (izotóp)atoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Vietnamese đồng vị
  • đồng vịatoms of the same element having a different number of neutrons
Cite this entry
APA

isotope. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/isotope

MLA

“isotope.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/isotope. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “isotope,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/isotope.

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