ion (n.) 1834 [interestedly I've heard people pronounce it two ways: ˈaɪən and ˈaɪˌɑn]
introduced by English physicist and chemist Michael Faraday (suggested by the Rev. William Whewell, English polymath), coined from Greek ion, neuter prp. of ienai "go," from PIE root *ei- "to go, to walk".
So called because ions move toward the electrode of opposite charge.
proton is coined in 1920 {it was used earlier in embryology (1893) at a translation of German anlage},
neutron [ˈn(j)uˌtrɑn] is coined in 1921,
photon (a particle-like package of light) is coined in 1926,
positron [ˈpɑzəˌtrɑn] (the antiparticle of electron) is coined in 1933,
negatron [ˈnɛɡəˌtrɑn] (the antiparticle of proton) is coined around 1933,
fermion [ˈfɜrmiˌɑn] (any particle that follows the Pauli exclusion principle) and
boson [ˈboʊsˌɑn] (any particles that don't follow the exclusion principle) are coined in the mid 20th century
[A famous example of boson would be the higgs boson which may help us to gain a
deeper insight into dark matter and dark energy, recently discovered by CERN (though it is not exactly the higgs boson predicted by the Standard Model)]
lepton (any particle that does not undergo strong interactions but follows the exclusion principle E.g. electron) is coined in 1948
muon [ˈmjuˌɑn] (an unstable, negatively charged lepton) is coined in the mid 20th century
gluon [ˈgluˌɑn'] (an exchange particle responsible for strong interaction) is coined in the mid 20th century
interferon [ˌɪntərˈfirˌɑn] Biochemistry
a protein released by animal cells, usually in response to the entry of a virus, that has >the property of inhibiting virus replication.
1957, coined in English, so called because it "interferes" with the reduplication of viruses. From interfere + subatomic particle suffix -on.
codon [ˈkoʊˌdɑn] Biochemistry
a sequence of three nucleotides that together form a unit of genetic code in a DNA or RNA >molecule.
1962, from code (n.) + -on.
operon [ˈɑpəˌrɑn] Biology
a unit made up of linked genes that is thought to regulate other genes responsible for >protein synthesis.
1960s: from French opérer ‘to effect, work’ + -on.
radon [ˈreɪˌdɑn] Chemistry
the chemical element of atomic number 86, a rare radioactive gas belonging to the noble gas series.
*1918, from radium (q.v.) + -on suffix of inert gases. *
neuron [ˈn(j)ʊˌrɑn]
"a nerve cell with appendages," 1891, from German Neuron, from Greek neuron (see neuro-). Used earlier (1884) for "the spinal cord and brain."
