Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or formed of minute separate particles.
  • noun A minute separate particle, as of a granular substance or powder.
  • noun Particulate matter.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make mention singly.
  • To particularize; mention.
  • Having the form of a small particle; taking the form of particles.
  • Of or pertaining to particles; produced by particles, as minute germs.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • verb obsolete To particularize.
  • noun Matter composed of particles; -- often used in the pl..
  • adjective Having the form of a particle.
  • adjective rare Referring to, or produced by, particles, such as dust, minute germs, etc.
  • adjective Composed of particles; finely divided.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Composed of separate particles.
  • adjective genetics Pertaining to heritable characteristics which are attributable discretely to either one or another of an offspring's parents, rather than a blend of the two.
  • noun Any solid or liquid in a subdivided state, especially one that exhibits special characteristics which are negligible in the bulk material

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective composed of distinct particles
  • noun a small discrete mass of solid or liquid matter that remains individually dispersed in gas or liquid emissions (usually considered to be an atmospheric pollutant)

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Latin particula, a small part; see particle.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Late Latin particulatus, from Latin particula.

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Examples

  • Let me show you a little bit of context here, comparing what we call particulate matter in big urban zone like Chicago, for example, 20 micrograms per cubic meter, versus Beijing, 260 micrograms per cubic meter per day.

    CNN Transcript Aug 1, 2008 2008

  • In 2010, the Pittsburgh area—with 2.4 million people—ranked third in the country for short-term particulate pollution, according to the American Lung Association, which lobbies for clean air.

    Pittsburgh Tries to Clear the Air on Pollution Kris Maher 2012

  • He said numerous scientific studies show spikes in short-term particulate levels and exposures to high day-to-day levels exposures can damage the health of people with heart and lung disease, children and older adults, and even cause premature death.

    post-gazette.com - News 2010

  • He said numerous scientific studies show spikes in short-term particulate levels and exposures to high day-to-day levels exposures can damage the health of people with heart and lung disease, children and older adults, and even cause premature death.

    post-gazette.com - News 2010

  • The American Lung Association ranks the metropolitan Pittsburgh area as the nation's fourth-worst in short-term particulate pollution and fifth-worst in year-round particulate pollution, with Allegheny County rated as the nation's seventh most polluted county.

    post-gazette.com - News 2009

  • His article was attempting to rebut the PG's May 4 editorial ( "Let's Clear the Air"), which properly pointed out the twisted method by which ALA ranked Pittsburgh as the No. 1 most polluted city in the United States for "short-term particulate [air] pollution."

    post-gazette.com - News 2009

  • Colloquially, the act of asphyxiating someone with a liquid or particulate is called “drowning” them, even if they don’t end up in the end result of that state, “drowned”, i. e, dead from asphyxiation from a liquid.

    Matthew Yglesias » No One Expects The Spanish Inquisition 2010

  • Colloquially, the act of asphyxiating someone with a liquid or particulate is called “drowning” them, even if they don’t end up in the end result of that state, “drowned”, i. e, dead from asphyxiation from a liquid.

    Matthew Yglesias » No One Expects The Spanish Inquisition 2010

  • These are: ground-level ozone, particle pollution also known as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

    John B. Townsend II: The Long, Hot Summer And Code Red Days John B. Townsend II 2011

  • These are: ground-level ozone, particle pollution also known as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

    John B. Townsend II: The Long, Hot Summer And Code Red Days John B. Townsend II 2011

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