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
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.
• see particle
• p-word
(linguistics):
• aspect particle
• modal particle
(particle physics):
• bradyon
• elvisbrion
• faster-than-light particle
• luxon
• superluminal particle
• tachyon
• tachyonic particle
• 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
23 April 2025
(adjective) not married or related to the unmarried state; “unmarried men and women”; “unmarried life”; “sex and the single girl”; “single parenthood”; “are you married or single?”
The word “coffee” entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch “koffie,” borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish “kahve,” borrowed in turn from the Arabic “qahwah.” The Arabic word qahwah was traditionally held to refer to a type of wine.
