An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

An elementary particle created in high-energy particle collisions having a short life and a strangeness quantum number of 1. For example,
sigma and xi baryons are strange particles. A strange particle is produced when a strange quark is created in a high-energy collision. → strangeness.

See also: → strange;
the concept of “strange” arose from the observation that these particles
decay rapidly, in contrast to others that do not. → particle.