antihydrogen
UK[ˌantɪˈhʌɪdrədʒ(ə)n]US[ˌæntiˈhaɪdrədʒən, ˌæntaɪ-]
n
The antimatter counterpart of hydrogen, consisting of an antiproton and a positron.
Morpheme Breakdown
anti
hydrogen
anti
against/opposite
hydrogen
chemical element
Etymology
The word is a modern scientific compound formed in the 20th century. The prefix "anti-," of Greek origin, is used in physics to denote the antimatter counterpart of a substance. It is attached to "hydrogen," the name for the lightest chemical element, itself derived from Greek roots meaning "water-former." Thus, "antihydrogen" literally means "the opposite form of hydrogen," logically describing an atom composed of antimatter particles that mirrors the structure of ordinary hydrogen.
Analysis
Structure: anti (against/opposite) + hydrogen (chemical element)
- anti: From Greek, via Latin and French. A prefix meaning "against," "opposite of," or "counteracting."
- hydrogen: From French hydrogène, from Greek hydro- (water) + -genēs (born, produced). The element that produces water when burned.
Examples
Scientists at CERN successfully produced and trapped atoms of antihydrogen.
Studying the properties of antihydrogen could help explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe.
The spectral lines of antihydrogen are predicted to be identical to those of ordinary hydrogen.