particle beam: Meaning and Definition of

par'ticle beam"

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a concentrated stream of particles, as electrons, neutrons, or protons, generated for studying particle interactions, nuclear structure, crystal structure, etc.
  2. a high-energy stream of such particles for use as a weapon or for antimissile defense.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.