Nanoparticle
/ˌnænoʊˈpɑːrtɪkəl/noun
A particle of matter measuring roughly 1 to 100 nanometres in at least one dimension.
Did you know?“Nano-” derives from Greek nános, meaning “dwarf,” while “particle” comes from Latin particula, meaning “a small part”; the modern scientific sense emerged from precision measurement rather than occult tradition.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
nanos (νᾶνος)
“Dwarf; a very small person or thing”
17th Century
Latin
particula
“A small part or portion, diminutive of pars, “part””
19th Century
French
nano-
“Scientific combining form meaning one billionth, adopted from Greek nanos, “dwarf””
1960s
English
nanoparticle
“A particle described at nanoscale dimensions”
Modern English
English
nanoparticle
“A particle approximately 1–100 nanometres in size, with properties often differing from its bulk material”