Nanoscale
/ˈnæn.oʊˌskeɪl/noun
Relating to dimensions typically measured in nanometers, especially from about 1 to 100 nanometers.
Did you know?The prefix nano- comes from Ancient Greek νᾶνος (nanos), meaning “dwarf,” and was adopted into the modern metric system in 1960 to mean one-billionth.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
νᾶνος (nanos)
“Dwarf or very small person”
17th Century
Latin
nanus
“Dwarf; a Latinized form related to Greek nanos”
20th Century
International scientific usage
nano-
“A metric prefix denoting one-billionth, or 10⁻⁹”
1960
SI
nano-
“Officially adopted as an SI prefix”
Late 20th Century
English
nanoscale
“The scale of dimensions measured in nanometers, especially roughly 1–100 nanometers”
Modern English
English
nanoscale
“Relating to phenomena, materials, or technology at nanometer dimensions”
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