particle

noun

par·​ti·​cle ˈpär-ti-kəl 

1

a

: a minute quantity or fragment

b

: a relatively small or the smallest discrete portion or amount of something

2

archaic : a clause or article of a composition or document

3

: any of the basic units of matter and energy (such as a molecule, atom, proton, electron, or photon)

4

: a unit of speech expressing some general aspect of meaning or some connective or limiting relation and including the articles, most prepositions and conjunctions, and some interjections and adverbs

the particle up has a perfective meaning in phrases such as beat up and cut up

5

: a small eucharistic wafer distributed to a Roman Catholic layman at Communion

Synonyms of particle

• speck
• sprinkling
• hint
• glimmer
• splash
• shred
• bit
• touch
• little
• trace
• lick

Examples of particle in a Sentence

There is not a particle of evidence to support their claim.

There is not a particle of truth in what he said.

The phrasal verb “look up” consists of the verb “look” and the adverbial particle “up.”

Recent Examples on the Web

So, while the current search has come up empty, the ghost particle hunters aren’t giving up and are preparing for the next. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025

When exposed to these small particles, people with heart or lung diseases and older adults are more at risk of hospital and emergency room visits or, in some cases, even death from heart or lung disease. —Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025

To add to this complexity, streams of particles and magnetic fields from the Sun – known as space weather – can cause the density of air particles in low Earth orbit to fluctuate in unpredictable ways. —Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, The Conversation, 3 Dec. 2025

People catch norovirus by getting tiny particles of feces or vomit into their mouth from an infected person. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 2 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin particula, from diminutive of part-, pars

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing particle

• alpha particle
• beta particle
• elementary particle
• fundamental particle
• J/psi particle
• particle accelerator
• particle physics
• psi particle
• W particle
• Z particle

Rhymes for particle

• article
• interparticle
• nanoparticle
• quasiparticle

Kids Definition

particle

noun

par·​ti·​cle ˈpärt-i-kəl 

1

: one of the very small parts of matter (as a molecule, atom, or electron)

2

: a very small quantity or piece

3

: the smallest possible portion

Medical Definition

particle

noun

par·​ti·​cle ˈpärt-i-kəl 

1

: one of the minute subdivisions of matter (as an atom or molecule)

also : elementary particle

2

: a minute quantity or fragment