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mass defect

The definition of a mass defect is the mass of an atom minus the masses of all the individual neutrons and protons in its nucleus.

(noun)

An example of a mass defect is a number expressed in atomic mass units.

See mass defect in Webster's New World College Dictionary

Physics the difference between the mass of an atom and the sum of the masses of the individual neutrons and protons in its nucleus, expressed in atomic mass units

See mass defect in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

The amount by which the mass of an atomic nucleus is less than the sum of the masses of its constituent particles. Also called mass deficiency.

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