atom

Noun
Synonyms: moleculeparticlecorpusclemotespeck

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

  1. (physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element
  2. (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anythingSynonyms: moleculeparticlecorpusclemotespeck
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Atom \At"om\, n. [L. atomus, Gr. ?, uncut, indivisible; 'a priv. + ?, verbal adj. of ? to cut: cf. F. atome. See Tome.]

1.(Physics) (a) An ultimate indivisible particle of matter. (b) An ultimate particle of matter not necessarily indivisible; a molecule. (c) A constituent particle of matter, or a molecule supposed to be made up of subordinate particles. [1913 Webster]

Note: These three definitions correspond to different views of the nature of the ultimate particles of matter. In the case of the last two, the particles are more correctly called molecules. --Dana. [1913 Webster]

2.(Chem.) The smallest particle of matter that can enter into combination; one of the elementary constituents of a molecule. [1913 Webster]

3.Anything extremely small; a particle; a whit. [1913 Webster]

There was not an atom of water.— Sir J. Ross.[1913 Webster]
Atom \At"om\, v. t. To reduce to atoms. [Obs.] --Feltham. [1913 Webster] Atom bomb
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