particle JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU
/ˈpɑːtɪk(ə)l/ · par·ti·cle
noun
- A very small piece of matter, a fragment; especially, the smallest possible part of something. The particle of dust fell onto the keyboard.
- Any of various physical objects making up the constituent parts of an atom; an elementary particle or subatomic particle. The physicist studied the properties of subatomic particles in the lab.
- A word that has a particular grammatical function but does not obviously belong to any particular part of speech, such as the word to in English infinitives or O as a vocative particle. The word to is a particle used in English infinitives, as in 'to eat'.
Synonyms
Did you know? The term 'particle' has been used in various scientific contexts since the 17th century, initially referring to small particles of matter in physics and chemistry.