PARTICLE

particle

(noun) a function word that can be used in English to form phrasal verbs

particle, subatomic particle

(noun) a body having finite mass and internal structure but negligible dimensions

atom, molecule, particle, corpuscle, mote, speck

(noun) (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

particle (plural particles)

A very small piece of matter, a fragment; especially, the smallest possible part of something. [from 14th c.]

(physics) Any of various physical objects making up the constituent parts of an atom; an elementary particle or subatomic particle. [from 19th c.]

(linguistics) 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.

(linguistics) A part of speech which cannot be inflected: an adverb, preposition, conjunction or interjection.

(Christianity) In the Roman Catholic church, a crumb of consecrated bread; also the smaller breads used in the communion of the laity.

Synonyms

• see particle

• p-word

Hyponyms

(linguistics):

• aspect particle

• modal particle

(particle physics):

• bradyon

• elvisbrion

• faster-than-light particle

• luxon

• superluminal particle

• tachyon

• tachyonic particle

Anagrams

• crepital, preictal, prelatic

Source: Wiktionary

Par"ti*cle, n. Etym: [L. particula, dim of pars, gen partis, a part: cf. F. particule. See Part, and cf. Parcel.]

1. A minute part or portion of matter; a morsel; a little bit; an atom; a jot; as, a particle of sand, of wood, of dust. The small size of atoms which unite To make the smallest particle of light. Blackmore.

2. Any very small portion or part; the smallest portion; as, he has not a particle of patriotism or virtue. The houses had not given their commissioners authority in the least particle to recede. Clarendon.

3. (R. C. Ch.) (a) A crumb or little piece of concecrated host. (b) The smaller hosts distributed in the communion of the laity. Bp. Fitzpatrick.

4. (Gram.)

Definition: A subordinate word that is never inflected (a preposition, conjunction, interjection); or a word that can not be used except in compositions; as, ward in backward, ly in lovely.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition