neutrino

noun

neu·​tri·​no nü-ˈtrē-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce neutrino (audio)
nyü-
plural neutrinos
: an uncharged elementary particle that is believed to have a very small mass, that has any of three forms, and that interacts only rarely with other particles
neutrinoless
nü-ˈtrē-(ˌ)nō-ləs How to pronounce neutrino (audio)
nyü-
adjective

Examples of neutrino in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 2017, IceCube detected a neutrino that appeared to come from the direction of a quasar, known as TXS 0506+056, at the same time that a telescope detected an outburst of gamma radiation from that same object. — Yjan Gordon, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026 Approximately 100 billion neutrinos pass through each square centimeter of our bodies every second. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for neutrino

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from neutro neutral, neuter, from Latin neutr-, neuter

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of neutrino was in 1934

Rhymes for neutrino

See All Rhymes for neutrino

Browse Nearby Words

neutretto
neutrino
neutro-
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Neutrino.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neutrino. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

neutrino

noun
neu·​tri·​no n(y)ü-ˈtrē-nō How to pronounce neutrino (audio)
plural neutrinos
: an uncharged elementary particle believed to have little or no mass

Medical Definition

neutrino

noun
neu·​tri·​no n(y)ü-ˈtrē-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce neutrino (audio)
plural neutrinos
: an uncharged elementary particle that is believed to be massless or to have a very small mass, that has any of three forms, and that interacts only rarely with other particles

More from Merriam-Webster on neutrino

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about neutrino

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All