1. United States composer who collaborated with Gertrude Stein (1896-1989) • Syn: Virgil Thomson, Virgil Garnett Thomson • Instance Hypernyms: composer 2. English physicist who experimented with the conduction of electricity through gases and who discovered the electron and determined its charge and mass (1856-1940) • Syn: Joseph John Thomson, Sir Joseph John Thomson • Instance Hypernyms: physicist 3. English physicist (son of Joseph John Thomson) who was a co-discoverer of the diffraction of electrons by crystals (1892-1975) • Syn: George Paget Thomson, Sir George Paget Thomson • Instance Hypernyms: physicist 4. United States electrical engineer (born in England) who in 1892 formed a company with Thomas Edison (1853-1937) • Syn: Elihu Thomson • Instance Hypernyms: electrical engineer