subatomic

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled sub-atomic

US /ˌsʌbəˈtɑːmɪk/ UK /ˌsʌbəˈtɒmɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #26462

Meanings

1

adj
of or relating to constituents of the atom or forces within the atom

Subatomic particles.
2

adj
Relating to particles that are constituents of the atom, or are smaller than an atom; such as proton, neutron, electron, etc.

We humans are so stuck in the middle of the cosmic scales — in average height, one-hundredth of one-septillionth (10^-24) the size of the observable universe, and with typical life spans of a couple octillion attoseconds. And an attosecond is an eternity compared with the lifetime of the elusive Higgs boson, a subatomic particle that exists for one-thousandth of an attosecond before decaying.
3

adj
Relating to something that is smaller in scale than the diameter of a hydrogen atom.

The electron microscope is able to resolve detail at the subatomic level.
4

adj
of smaller than atomic dimensions

Thesaurus

Word family

Derived forms subatomics

Related forms atomicsubatomically

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

subatomic particle
a particle smaller than an atom, including particles that make up atoms

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From sub- + atomic.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# subatomic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌsʌbəˈtɑːmɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌsʌbəˈtɒmɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 26462

## Meanings
1. of or relating to constituents of the atom or forces within the atom
2. Relating to particles that are constituents of the atom, or are smaller than an atom; such as proton, neutron, electron, etc.
3. Relating to something that is smaller in scale than the diameter of a hydrogen atom.
4. of smaller than atomic dimensions

## Examples
- Subatomic particles.
- We humans are so stuck in the middle of the cosmic scales — in average height, one-hundredth of one-septillionth (10^-24) the size of the observable universe, and with typical life spans of a couple octillion attoseconds. And an attosecond is an eternity compared with the lifetime of the elusive Higgs boson, a subatomic particle that exists for one-thousandth of an attosecond before decaying.
- The electron microscope is able to resolve detail at the subatomic level.

## Derived Forms
- subatomics

## Related Forms
- atomic
- subatomically

## Etymology
From sub- + atomic.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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