TERMIUM Plus®
From: Translation Bureau
On social media
Consult the Government of Canada’s terminology data bank.
MESON [5 records]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2016-03-07
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Atomic Physics
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- psi
1, record 1, English, psi
correct
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
Record 1, Synonyms, English
- psi particle 1, record 1, English, psi%20particle
correct
- J particle 2, record 1, English, J%20particle
correct
- J 3, record 1, English, J
correct
- J/psi particle 4, record 1, English, J%2Fpsi%20particle
correct, see observation
- J/psi 4, record 1, English, J%2Fpsi
correct, see observation
- psi meson 1, record 1, English, psi%20meson
correct
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
The new particle has a mass of about 3.1 billion electron volts (3.1 GeV). That is more than three times the mass of the proton, making the psi one of the heaviest particles known ... The psi has a spin angular momentum of 1, the integer unit indicating the particle must be a meson. It is electrically neutral, and it has zero strangeness. ... The psi particle also decays through the strong interaction, but it has a lifetime of about [ten to the minus twentieth of a] second, 1,000 times longer than the lifetime of a typical hadron of comparable mass. 1, record 1, English, - psi
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
The new particle was discovered independently and at about the same time by two groups of experimenters ... One group, whose members were from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Brookhaven National Laboratory ... gave it the name J. The other group ... made up of physicists from the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory ...[designated] the particle by the Greek letter psi ... 1, record 1, English, - psi
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 OBS
The word "psi" must be replaced by the corresponding Greek letter or italicized. 5, record 1, English, - psi
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Physique atomique
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- particule psi(3105)
1, record 1, French, particule%20psi%283105%29
correct, see observation
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
Record 1, Synonyms, French
- méson psi(3105) 2, record 1, French, m%C3%A9son%20psi%283105%29
correct, see observation
- psi(3105) 2, record 1, French, psi%283105%29
correct, see observation
- psi-3105 2, record 1, French, psi%2D3105
correct, see observation
- psi-3100 2, record 1, French, psi%2D3100
correct, see observation
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
La durée de vie de la particule [psi] (3105) est grande par rapport aux désintégrations fortes usuelles; or, étant donné sa masse élevée, le nombre d'états finals énergétiquement possibles (plusieurs mésons [pi] par exemple) est grand [...] 2, record 1, French, - particule%20psi%283105%29
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Il se trouve parfois que le terme «psi» tout seul est employé pour désigner cette particule; il s'emploie plus souvent pour désigner la «famille» de particules à laquelle elle appartient. 3, record 1, French, - particule%20psi%283105%29
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 OBS
Le mot «psi» doit être remplacé par la lettre grecque correspondante ou être écrit en italique. 3, record 1, French, - particule%20psi%283105%29
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
Record 2 - internal organization data 2015-02-13
Record 2, English
Record 2, Subject field(s)
- Atomic Physics
Record 2, Main entry term, English
- pion
1, record 2, English, pion
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, English
Record 2, Synonyms, English
- pi-meson 1, record 2, English, pi%2Dmeson
correct
Record 2, Textual support, English
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
An elementary particle; the contraction of pi-meson. The mass of a charged pion is about 273 times that of an electron. An electrically neutral pion has a mass 264 times that of an electron. 1, record 2, English, - pion
Record 2, French
Record 2, Domaine(s)
- Physique atomique
Record 2, Main entry term, French
- méson pi
1, record 2, French, m%C3%A9son%20pi
correct, masculine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, French
Record 2, Synonyms, French
- pion 1, record 2, French, pion
correct, masculine noun, rare
Record 2, Textual support, French
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 CONT
Les mésons se divisent en deux groupes : les mésons pi, dont la masse est environ 270 fois celle de l'électron, et les mésons ka, [...] 1, record 2, French, - m%C3%A9son%20pi
Record 2, Spanish
Record 2, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Física atómica
Record 2, Main entry term, Spanish
- pión
1, record 2, Spanish, pi%C3%B3n
correct, masculine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 2, Synonyms, Spanish
Record 2, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Partícula elemental inestable del género de los mesones. Su masa es aproximadamente 270 veces la del electrón y su carga eléctrica es igual a la de este o nula. 1, record 2, Spanish, - pi%C3%B3n
Record 3 - internal organization data 2001-01-31
Record 3, English
Record 3, Subject field(s)
- Atomic Physics
- Radiological Physics (Theory and Application)
- Theoretical Astronomy
Record 3, Main entry term, English
- meson
1, record 3, English, meson
correct
Record 3, Abbreviations, English
Record 3, Synonyms, English
Record 3, Textual support, English
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Short-lived elementary particles with masses between that of the electron and that of the proton; for example, mu-mesons (muons); pi-mesons (pions); and K-particles. 2, record 3, English, - meson
Record 3, French
Record 3, Domaine(s)
- Physique atomique
- Physique radiologique et applications
- Astronomie théorique
Record 3, Main entry term, French
- méson
1, record 3, French, m%C3%A9son
correct, masculine noun
Record 3, Abbreviations, French
Record 3, Synonyms, French
Record 3, Textual support, French
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Particule élémentaire, chargée ou non, de la classe des bosons, de vie très courte, de spin nul, dont la masse est intermédiaire entre celle de l'électron et celle du proton, et qui apparaît dans les réactions nucléaires de grande énergie. 1, record 3, French, - m%C3%A9son
Record 3, Spanish
Record 3, Textual support, Spanish
Record 4 - internal organization data 1995-07-05
Record 4, English
Record 4, Subject field(s)
- Atomic Physics
Record 4, Main entry term, English
- kaon
1, record 4, English, kaon
correct
Record 4, Abbreviations, English
Record 4, Synonyms, English
- K meson 2, record 4, English, K%20meson
correct
Record 4, Textual support, English
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Collective name for four pseudo-scalar mesons, having masses of about 495 MeV ... and decaying via weak interactions.... 3, record 4, English, - kaon
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 CONT
Such high-energy cosmic ray collisions produce a shower of secondary particles, principally kaons (K mesons) and pions (pi-mesons), which in turn decay spontaneously into muons. [Sci. Amer. Oct. 42/3]. 4, record 4, English, - kaon
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 2 CONT
... the superheated plasma will give rise to many more s quarks and antiquarks ... [that] will eventually decay, but the processes responsible for their decay are relatively slow, and many of them will escape the fireball. They will escape inside particles such as K mesons and lambda particles, which experimenters are eminently equipped to observe. 5, record 4, English, - kaon
Record 4, French
Record 4, Domaine(s)
- Physique atomique
Record 4, Main entry term, French
- kaon
1, record 4, French, kaon
correct, masculine noun
Record 4, Abbreviations, French
- KA 1, record 4, French, KA
correct
Record 4, Synonyms, French
- méson K 1, record 4, French, m%C3%A9son%20K
correct, masculine noun
- KA 1, record 4, French, KA
correct
- KA 1, record 4, French, KA
Record 4, Textual support, French
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Méson neutre ou chargé d'étrangeté non nulle [...] c'est une particule étrange, qui ne peut être produite qu'en paire kaon-antikaon, ou associée avec un hypéron. C'est un méson lourd; sa masse est, en effet, environ quatre fois plus élevée que celle du méson pi. 1, record 4, French, - kaon
Record 4, Spanish
Record 4, Textual support, Spanish
Record 5 - internal organization data 1986-12-12
Record 5, English
Record 5, Subject field(s)
- Organizations, Administrative Units and Committees
- Atomic Physics
Record 5, Main entry term, English
- Tri-University Meson Facility
1, record 5, English, Tri%2DUniversity%20Meson%20Facility
correct
Record 5, Abbreviations, English
- TRIUMF 2, record 5, English, TRIUMF
correct
Record 5, Synonyms, English
Record 5, Key term(s)
- Tri U.M.F.
Record 5, French
Record 5, Domaine(s)
- Organismes, unités administratives et comités
- Physique atomique
Record 5, Main entry term, French
- Tri-University Meson Facility
1, record 5, French, Tri%2DUniversity%20Meson%20Facility
correct
Record 5, Abbreviations, French
- TRIUMF 2, record 5, French, TRIUMF
correct
Record 5, Synonyms, French
Record 5, Textual support, French
Record 5, Spanish
Record 5, Textual support, Spanish
Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank
© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau
Features
GCtranslate (available on the Government of Canada network only)
Use this artificial intelligence prototype to translate Government of Canada content up to and including Protected B. Available to employees of selected departments and agencies only.
Writing tools
The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.
Glossaries and vocabularies
Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.
- Date Modified:


