atom
[ˈæɾm̩] noun, proper noun
Forms atoms
- noun (chemistry, physics) The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
- noun (history of science) A hypothetical particle posited by Greek philosophers as an ultimate and indivisible component of matter.
- noun (now generally regarded figuratively) The smallest, indivisible constituent part or unit of something.
- noun (philosophy) In logical atomism, a fundamental fact that cannot be further broken down.
- noun (historical) The smallest medieval unit of time, equal to fifteen ninety-fourths of a second.
- noun A mote of dust in a sunbeam.
- noun A very small amount; a whit.
- noun (programming, Lisp) An individual number or symbol, as opposed to a list; a scalar value.
- proper noun A Meitei surname from Manipuri
Synonyms
particle speck ace thought atomy aught bissel continental bit crumb glimpse dab damn dash diddly glint dot spatter drop dusting molecule corpuscle mote
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English attome, from Middle French athome, from Latin atomus (“smallest particle”), from Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos, “indivisible”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”, o-grade in τομ-) + -ος (-os). Atoms are so named because they were historically thought up as to be the smallest unit of matter, and thus indivisible. Doublet of atomus.
Borrowed from Manipuri ꯑꯇꯣꯝ (ʼatom).
Webster’s 1913
- noun (a) An ultimate indivisible particle of matter.
- noun The smallest particle of matter that can enter into combination; one of the elementary constituents of a molecule.
- verb To reduce to atoms. [Obs.] Feltham.
Etymology [L. atomus, Gr. atome. See Tome.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “atom”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details