Where does ion come from?
The great British scientist Michael Faraday discovered ions in 1834. By the loss or gain of electrons, atomic or molecular ions carry a positive or negative charge, which attracts them to oppositely charge particles to form various chemicals. The word is rooted in the Greek for “going” due to the movement of this attraction.
Memedroid
Perhaps there are some of you who read the above paragraph and said Ion know what that means. This ion means “I don’t.” It is a spelling based on the colloquial pronunciation of I don’t, especially in Black English. Try this: say “I don’t know” fast and casually. You’re probably saying something that actually sounds like ion–oh. This is actually how we talk, people.
Ion wanna compete I just wanna win
— driptember🎯 (@jessdaadoll) November 27, 2018
when people say “ion” instead of “i don’t” i literally can’t process it as that. i just read ion. like the scientific term.
— aubs ann (@AubryBailey) September 26, 2018
Ion for I don’t emerges in internet writing in the 2000s, as does the acronym ION for in other news. ION is used as a transitional phrase to change a topic, much like Anyways…
Examples of ion
Who uses ion?
The chemical ion helps make the world go round, even if baffles many a student in high school. They are key to understanding chemical bonds.
man ion care ab shit yall got going on
— ImHer💕 (@fantasia_ruff) November 27, 2018
The slang ion, meanwhile, baffles many a high school teacher, even if it makes social media and text-messaging go round. Memphis rapper Moneybagg Yo featured this ion in his 2018 “Ion Get You,” which contains the lyrics: “I don’t get you, I don’t get you, you so hard to figure out.”
So much death ion even kno how 2 feel
— Young Lyric (@Lyrikkal) November 27, 2018
ION sees occasional use among the many abbreviations of internet slang, from LOL to STFU. Typically standing for “in other news,” ION signals a change of topic, often abrupt in nature and with a degree of self-deprecation.
I know you won't be able to tell but I just got new contact lenses. ION – excited to see my friend Cath 2nite who is moving to Singapore
— carla (urban_mermaid) (@u_m) October 29, 2007
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of ion like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of ion that will help our users expand their word mastery.