Definitions for "Carbocation"
A carbon cation. Often a trivalent, positively charged carbon atom, (R3C(+) .
A carbocation (IPA pronunciation: ) is an ion with a positively-charged carbon atom. A carbocation was previously often called a carbonium ion but questions arose on the exact meaning Gold Book definition http://www.iupac.org/goldbook/C00839.pdf Link . The charged carbon atom in a carbocation is a "sextet", i.e. it has only six electrons in its outer valence shell instead of the eight valence electrons that ensures maximum stability (octet rule).