quantum field theory

noun

: a theory in physics: the interaction of two separate physical systems (such as particles) is attributed to a field that extends from one to the other and is manifested in a particle exchange between the two systems

Examples of quantum field theory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The way to avoid these limitations isn’t to abandon quantum field theory, but rather to go beyond the perturbative approach of Feynman diagrams, and to perform the full analytic calculations demanded by the underlying quantum field theory. Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 5 Sep. 2025 The quantum field theory describing it, called quantum chromodynamics, or QCD, is mathematically much more complex than the theory of the electromagnetic field. Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025 To model these events precisely, the team turned to quantum field theory, which is a branch of physics typically used to describe interactions between elementary particles. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 16 May 2025 The first was that the Italian physicist Fabiola Gianotti had made a significant discovery in quantum field theory. Simon Garfield, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for quantum field theory

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quantum field theory was in 1948

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quantum field theory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quantum%20field%20theory. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on quantum field theory

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!