Word
antimatter
Phoneticsan·ti·mat·ter, stress on the third syllable
US/ætaɪˈmætɝ/
UK/ˈæntɪmˌætɐ/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. a kind of matter made of tiny parts that are the opposite of normal matter. When it touches normal matter, both disappear and release a lot of energy.
n. matter composed of antiparticles carrying opposite charge to their ordinary counterparts, annihilating on contact with normal matter to release energy.
Examples
“Scientists study antimatter to learn about the universe.”
“Physicists store tiny amounts of antimatter in magnetic traps because it disappears the moment it touches ordinary matter.”
“Although science-fiction stories use antimatter as a powerful fuel, researchers can currently produce only minute quantities at enormous cost, limiting its practical use to fundamental experiments.”
Examples
simple
“Scientists study antimatter to learn about the universe.”
contextual
“Physicists store tiny amounts of antimatter in magnetic traps because it disappears the moment it touches ordinary matter.”
complex
“Although science-fiction stories use antimatter as a powerful fuel, researchers can currently produce only minute quantities at enormous cost, limiting its practical use to fundamental experiments.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “antimatter” in context.
Verb
01. antimatter annihilates
“When antimatter annihilates, it converts its entire mass into energy.”
noun + verb
02. antimatter decays
“Trapped antimatter decays quickly if the magnetic field fails.”
noun + verb
03. antimatter exists
“Scientists believe antimatter exists naturally in cosmic rays.”
noun + verb
04. antimatter reacts
“Antimatter reacts instantly when it comes into contact with matter.”
noun + verb
05. contain antimatter
“No physical container can contain antimatter for long without magnets.”
verb + noun
06. create antimatter
“CERN uses particle accelerators to create antimatter in tiny amounts.”
verb + noun
07. harness antimatter
“Engineers dream of learning to harness antimatter as a future fuel.”
verb + noun
Adjective
08. cold antimatter
“Researchers cooled particles to create cold antimatter for precise study.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. cloud of antimatter
“Telescopes detected a vast cloud of antimatter near the galactic center.”
noun + prep + noun
10. gram of antimatter
“Even a gram of antimatter could power a city for days.”
noun + prep + noun
11. a speck of antimatter
“Even a speck of antimatter would cause a huge explosion if released.”
12. antimatter annihilates on contact
“Antimatter annihilates on contact, releasing pure energy in a flash of light.”
Real-World Examples
“Their research tackles one of the greatest conundrums in modern physics—how matter triumphed over antimatter in the aftermath of the Big Bang.” “Antimatter — matter's mirror image — is difficult to create and extremely short-lived, because on contact with matter it instantly annihilates.” “On Wednesday, scientists announced they had, for the first time, shown that antimatter reacts to gravity in the same manner as ordinary matter—by falling, as one would expect.” Etymology
From anti- + matter. Coined by British physicist Arthur Schuster in 1898 to describe matter that resists gravity in a jocular article in Nature titled "Potential Matter.—A Holiday Dream", but not used in a modern sense until the 1940s.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/antimatter