Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A part or particle considered to be an irreducible constituent of a specified system.
- noun The irreducible, indestructible material unit postulated by ancient atomism.
- noun An extremely small part, quantity, or amount.
- noun The smallest unit of an element, having all the characteristics of that element and consisting of a very small and dense central nucleus containing protons and neutrons, surrounded by one or more shells of orbiting electrons. Atoms remain undivided in chemical reactions except for the donation, acceptance, or exchange of valence electrons.
- noun This unit regarded as a source of nuclear energy.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To reduce to atoms; atomize.
- noun An extremely minute particle of matter: a term used generally with certain philosophic or scientific limitations.
- noun A particle of matter assumed not to be divided under the circumstances considered; a molecule.
- noun In chem. and physics, the unit of matter; the smallest mass of an element that exists in any molecule. The number of kinds of atoms is the same as the number of the elements. All atoms of the same element have the same constant weight. They are for the most part combined with other atoms, either of the same or of a different kind, forming molecules, and are indivisible by chemical force. The atom is sometimes called the chemical unit, in distinction from the molecule or physical unit, the latter being the smallest particle of any kind of matter which can exhibit all the properties of that matter; but atom is also sometimes used as synonymous with molecule in this sense.
- noun Hence Anything extremely small; a minute quantity: as, he has not an atom of sense.
- noun The smallest division of time, equal to about ⅙ of a second.
- noun Anything indivisible; an individual.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun An ultimate indivisible particle of matter.
- noun An ultimate particle of matter not necessarily indivisible; a molecule.
- noun A constituent particle of matter, or a molecule supposed to be made up of subordinate particles.
- noun (Chem.) The smallest particle of matter that can enter into combination; one of the elementary constituents of a molecule.
- noun Anything extremely small; a particle; a whit.
- transitive verb obsolete To reduce to atoms.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The smallest,
indivisible constituent part or unit of something. - noun physics The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a
nucleus surrounded byelectrons . - noun mathematics A non-zero member of a Boolean algebra that is not a
union of any other elements. - noun historical A theoretical particle of matter, imagined to be incapable of further division; the smallest possible unit of substance.
- noun obsolete The smallest medieval unit of time, equal to fifteen ninety-fourths of a
second . - noun computing, programming An individual
number orsymbol , as opposed to alist . Ascalar value. - noun A very
small amount.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun (physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element
- noun (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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We now suppose that it is _a rapid movement of electrons from atom to atom_ in the wire or wherever the current is.
The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4) A Plain Story Simply Told J. Arthur Thomson 1897
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Coined in ancient Greece, the term atom means “indivisible unit,” and through the nineteenth century, scientists believed that our entire physical universe was composed of these elementary particles.
The Answer John Assaraf 2008
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Coined in ancient Greece, the term atom means “indivisible unit,” and through the nineteenth century, scientists believed that our entire physical universe was composed of these elementary particles.
The Answer John Assaraf 2008
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While the term atom, therefore, is applicable only to elements, the term molecule is applicable both to elements and compounds.
An Elementary Study of Chemistry William McPherson
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Thus the term atom indicates not only the constituents of molecules but has a quantitative meaning, the proportional part of the element which enters into compounds.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 2: Assizes-Browne 1840-1916 1913
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I do think that harnessing the power of the atom is the way to go.
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The energy produced by the breaking down of the atom is a very poor kind of thing.
Top 30 Technology Predictions that were Wrong | Impact Lab 2007
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It was the ancient Greeks who gave us the idea of atoms, fundamental and invisibly small particles of matter, and also the word atom, which means “uncuttable,” “indivisible.”
On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen Harold McGee 2004
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It was the ancient Greeks who gave us the idea of atoms, fundamental and invisibly small particles of matter, and also the word atom, which means “uncuttable,” “indivisible.”
On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen Harold McGee 2004
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(For convenience, "atom" is included as a special case of molecule).
Attached to Strings 2009
slumry commented on the word atom
By the time I was 5 years old, my oldest brother had a degree in physics. My mother liked to make the joke that "I was taught in school that you could not split an atom; now my son does it." Hence, I always envisioned atoms to be something you could put on a chopping block and split with an axe.
July 10, 2007
uselessness commented on the word atom
Incidentally, I who know very little about this stuff have always wondered if that could be theoretically possible -- if your axe was sharp enough and if you could hit the atom precisely. I don't suppose it is, but just IMAGINE what could happen if an innocent lumberjack inadvertently wielded the power of nuclear holocaust. ;-)
July 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word atom
That would have to be one incredibly sharp axe, with an edge you wouldn't even be able to see. Funny, I always thought about that too.
And you'd really, really want to be nice to the lumberjack.
July 10, 2007
oroboros commented on the word atom
Well, it would seem that even a dull axe would at some point have a "leading" atom that would make it atom v. atom. Didn't Zeno of Elea say something about lumberjacks? Can't remember...
July 10, 2007
slumry commented on the word atom
Indeed, you would not want to get crosswise with the man with the axe. And out west, that would mean calling him a logger rather than a lumberjack. It is a regional thing. They get testy about that.
July 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word atom
Oh, but lumberjack sounds so pronky.
July 10, 2007
uselessness commented on the word atom
I think that might be the problem!
WMDs pronk.
July 10, 2007
slumry commented on the word atom
Yes, I have always liked the word lumberjack, but they are a breed apart from loggers. You have to trust me on this one. ;-)
July 10, 2007
slumry commented on the word atom
Scary thought--those pronky WMDs. Let's hope they are phantoms.;-)
July 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word atom
Thanks for the warning, slumry. Next time I go west, I'll remember that. Never cross a person wielding an axe....
Wait--I don't suppose they still use those, do they?
July 10, 2007
slumry commented on the word atom
They still use axes to chop wood, of course. As for logging, I would assume there is still a minor role for the axe.
However, since *most* of the trees have been cut down, there is less need for logging equipment of any sort. It is a touchy subject in these parts. And don't say "spotted owl" to a logger unless you are prepared for unpleasantness!
July 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word atom
I would never. Even though I like spotted owls. :-)
July 10, 2007
alexz commented on the word atom
The idea of the atom as an indivisible smallest piece you can cut something into goes back to Epicurus (341—271 BCE)
http://www.iep.utm.edu/epicur/#SH3a
September 28, 2013