cation
UK[ˈkætaɪən]US[ˈkætaɪən]
n
A positively charged ion, which is attracted to the cathode (negative electrode) in electrolysis.
Morpheme Breakdown
cat
ion
cat
down
ion
going
Etymology
The word 'cation' was coined in the 1830s by the English scientist Michael Faraday, who needed a term to describe particles that travel toward the cathode during electrolysis. He derived it from the Greek 'kata' (down, downward) and 'ion' (a going, something that goes), literally meaning "a going down." This directly reflects the particle's observed behavior of migrating toward the negative pole (cathode) in an electric field. The term was formed in parallel with 'anion' (from 'ana-', meaning 'up'), creating a logical pair to describe the two fundamental types of moving ions.
Analysis
Structure: cat (down) + ion (going)
'cat' is from Greek 'kata', meaning 'down'. 'ion' is from Greek 'iōn', the present participle of 'ienai', meaning 'to go'. In this compound, 'ion' functions as the core noun.
Examples
In a solution of table salt, the sodium atom loses an electron to become a sodium cation.
The cation exchange resin is used to remove positively charged ions from water.
During electrolysis, cations move toward the cathode to gain electrons.