# ion

/ˈaɪˌɑn/ (US) · /ˈaɪɒn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ion
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. charged particle

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a tiny atom or group of atoms that has an electric charge.

For teachers: an atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.

- When salt dissolves in water, it breaks down into sodium and chlorine ions.
- The mass spectrometer works by accelerating ions through an electric field to determine their mass-to-charge ratio.

Usage: Countable noun; often modified by 'positive', 'negative', 'lithium', or 'calcium'.

### 2. I don't

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Dialect · Informal

a very informal way to say 'I don't' in some types of spoken English.

For teachers: a non-standard contraction of 'I don't', characteristic of African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

- Ion even care about the score, I just want to go home.
- Ion think they realize how much work this project is going to take.

Teaching tip: This is a phonetic spelling of a fast-speech pronunciation; learners should recognize it in social media or song lyrics but avoid using it in formal contexts.

## Examples

- Salt dissolves in water to form sodium and chloride ions.
- The battery works by moving lithium ions between the positive and negative electrodes during the charging cycle.
- In the upper atmosphere, solar radiation strips electrons from gas molecules, creating a layer of ions that can reflect radio waves back to Earth.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.