1. the order of an element in Mendeleyev's table of the elements; equal to the number of protons in the nucleus or electrons in the neutral state of an atom of an element;
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
atomic number
n 1: the order of an element in Mendeleyev's table of the
elements; equal to the number of protons in the nucleus or
electrons in the neutral state of an atom of an element