atom

A2 Topic:Science & Research

US /ˈætəm/ See IPA manual

Freq #9239

Meanings

1

noun
The smallest part of a chemical element that can exist.

Three oxygen atoms join together to form the molecule ozone.
2

noun
A very small amount of something.

There wasn't an atom of truth in what he said.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a very small amount of... bit speck crumb

Word family

Forms atoms

Derived forms adatomatomechanicsatomergatomicatomicalatomically atomism atomist atomistic atomization atomizeatomless

Related forms atomgrad

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.

attome Middle English athome Middle French atomus Latin ἄτομος Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

External links

# atom

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈætəm/
**Frequency rank:** 9239

## Meanings
1. The smallest part of a chemical element that can exist.
2. A very small amount of something.

## Examples
- Three oxygen atoms join together to form the molecule ozone.
- There wasn't an atom of truth in what he said.

## Derived Forms
- adatom
- atomechanics
- atomerg
- atomic
- atomical
- atomically
- atomism
- atomist
- atomistic
- atomization
- atomize
- atomless

## Related Forms
- atomgrad

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: attome
- Root: athome
- Root: atomus
- Root: ἄτομος

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Atom comes from Middle English attome, from Middle French athome, from Latin atomus (“smallest particle”), from Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos, “indivisible”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) plus τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”, o-grade in τομ-) plus -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.

## Topics
- Science & Research

markdown

atom

Meanings

Thesaurus

Common collocations

Etymology

Topics

External links

Keyboard Shortcuts

General

Send feedback