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

• ace
• bit
• crumb
• dab
• dram
• driblet
• glimmer
• hint
• lick
• little
• mite
• nip
• ounce
• peanuts
• ray
• scintilla
• scruple
• shade
• shadow
• shred
• skosh
• smack
• smell
• smidgen
• smidgeon
• smidgin
• smidge
• snap
• soupçon
• spark
• spatter
• speck
• splash
• spot
• sprinkling
• strain
• streak
• suspicion
• tad
• touch
• trace

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

Today, the space agency announced that one of its spacecraft will attempt to grab some particles from a 20-meter-wide crater, called Nightingale, on the asteroid. —Wes Davis, The Verge, 24 Sep. 2023

These particles have actual mass, unlike gamma rays, which are composed of weightless photons much like RF emissions. —WIRED, 23 Sep. 2023

Environmental Protection Agency data show the mostly Black Tremé residents are being exposed to a daily dose of toxic chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde and diesel particles that come from vehicles on the expressway. —Mark Nichols, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2023

These minute particles slip through layers of lung tissue to enter blood vessels and affect major organs such as the heart, kidneys and liver. —Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2023

Because of environmental concerns with the asbestos and fiberglass particles in the air the Rosewood Apartments across the street from the warehouse were evacuated, fire officials said. —Austindedios, oregonlive, 16 Sep. 2023

Wetting the surface of a fossil or rock allows mineral particles and textures to stand out. —Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Sep. 2023

Novavax's vaccine, which uses tiny particles along with an adjuvant to amplify its effects, is likely to arrive later in the fall, because of its longer production time. —Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2023

The discrepancy could indicate that scientists are missing something, such as the presence of a unique particle or field that could be fouling some of the measurements. —Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 13 Sep. 2023

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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

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

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

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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