Nanotechnology
/ˌnæn.oʊ.tɛkˈnɑː.lə.dʒi/noun
The science and engineering of manipulating matter at extremely small scales, especially at the level of atoms and molecules.
Did you know?The first element, nano-, comes from Greek nanos, meaning “dwarf,” so the term literally frames this field as engineering on a miniature, almost mythic scale.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
GRK
nánnos / nánnos
“dwarf; very small person”
Late Latin
LAT
nanus
“dwarf”
19th Century
EN
nano-
“a prefix meaning one-billionth, adopted in scientific terminology”
20th Century
EN
technology
“the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes”
1959
EN
nanotechnology
“the manipulation and engineering of matter at the nanoscale”