(dôl'tən) pronunciation
n.
See atomic mass unit.

[After John DALTON.]


dalton

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[Etymology: J. Dalton; UK 1766-1844] mass. Symbol D. Identically the atomic mass unit, used mainly for biochemical molecular weights, expressed typically in kilodaltons. See also mole.

Dalton, city (1990 pop. 21,761), seat of Whitfield co., extreme NW Ga., in the Appalachian valley; inc. 1847. It is a highly industrialized city in a farm area. Its large tufted-textile industry was begun in the late 1800s and still remains important; the city is the center of the U.S. carpet industry. In the Civil War, Dalton (Confederate headquarters after the Chattanooga campaign) fell to Gen. Sherman in the Atlanta campaign (1864). The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park is nearby, as is a state park.


A common place-name especially in the northern counties, ‘farmstead or village in a valley’, from OE dæl + tūn; examples include: Dalton Dumfries and Galloway Delton (c.1280). Dalton Lancashire Daltone (1086) (DB). Dalton Northumberland, near Hexham. Dalton (1256). Dalton Northumberland, near Stamfordham. Dalton (1201). Dalton N. City & County of Yorks., near Richmond. Daltun (1086) (DB). Dalton N. City & County of Yorks., near Thirsk. Deltune (1086) (DB). Dalton Rotherham Daltone (1086) (DB). Dalton in Furness Cumbria. Daltune (1086) (DB), Dalton in Fournais (1332). For the district name Furness, see Barrow in Furness. Dalton-le-Dale Durham. Daltun 8th cent. The addition means ‘in the valley’, from OE dæl. Dalton, North East Riding of City & County of Yorkshire Dalton (1086) (DB), Northdaltona (c.1155). Dalton-on-Tees N. City & County of Yorks. Dalton (1204). On the River Tees. Dalton Piercy Hartlepool Daltun (c.1150), Dalton Percy (1370). Manorial affix from the Percy family, here up to the 14th cent. Dalton, South East Riding of City & County of Yorkshire Delton (1086) (DB), Suthdalton (1260).

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symbol: Da; a non-SI unit of atomic and molecular mass, equal to one-twelfth of the mass of the nuclide carbon-12. It is identical with the unified atomic mass unit. It is widely used in biochemistry. Sometimes it is used incorrectly as a supposed unit of the dimensionless terms relative atomic mass and relative molecular mass. [After John Dalton (1766 — 1844), British chemist and physicist.]

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An arbitrary unit of mass, being one-twelfth the mass of the nuclide of carbon-12, equivalent to 1.657 × 10−24 g. Called also atomic mass unit.

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  • The Dalton Gang, brotherhood of outlaws in the American Old West
  • Jesse and Festus, once known as The Daltons, a professional wrestling tag team made up of Jesse Dalton and Festus Dalton
  • The Dalton Brothers, a spoof country band created and portrayed by U2 that served as its opening act for several concerts in 1987

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Daughton (family name)
Daulton (family name)
Dolton (family name)
William Jackson Hooker (British botanist)
Dalton, Robert (American outlaw)