atom

English Online Dictionary. What means atom‎? What does atom mean?

English

Alternative forms

• atomus (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English attome, from Middle French athome, from Latin atomus (“smallest particle”), from Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos, “indivisible”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) +‎ τέμνω (témnō, “I cut”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈatəm/
• (General American) enPR: ăt'əm, IPA^(key): /ˈætəm/, [ˈæɾəm]
• Homophone: Adam (in dialects with flapping)
• Hyphenation: a‧tom

Noun

atom (plural atoms)

1. (chemistry, physics) The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons. [from 16th c.]
2. (history of science) A hypothetical particle posited by Greek philosophers as an ultimate and indivisible component of matter. [from 15th c.]
3. (now generally regarded figuratively) The smallest, indivisible constituent part or unit of something. [from 17th c.]
4. (historical) The smallest medieval unit of time, equal to fifteen ninety-fourths of a second. [from 10th c.]
5. A mote of dust in a sunbeam. [from 16th c.]
6. A very small amount; a whit. [from 17th c.]
7. (computing, programming, Lisp) An individual number or symbol, as opposed to a list; a scalar value. [from 20th c.]
8. (mathematics, algebra) A non-zero member of a Boolean algebra that is not a union of any other elements. Or, a non-zero member of a Boolean lattice that has only zero below it. [from 20th c.]

   In a Venn diagram, an atom is depicted as an area circumscribed by lines but not cut by any line.

9. (mathematics, set theory) An element of a set that is not itself a set; an urelement. [from 20th c.]
10. (usually capitalised as "Atom") A member of an age group division in hockey for ten- to 11-year-olds.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:atom
• (small amount): see also Thesaurus:modicum.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• ⚛
• chemical element

Further reading

• atom on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Amto, Mato, Mota, TMAO, atmo, moat, mota, toma

---

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈatom]

Noun

atom m

1. (physics) atom

Related terms

• atomový
• atomický

Further reading

• atom in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
• atom in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989

---

Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /atoːm/, [aˈtˢoːˀm]

Noun

atom n (singular definite atomet, plural indefinite atomer)

1. atom

Inflection

---

Hungarian

Etymology

From English atom, from Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos, “indivisible”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + τέμνω (témnō, “I cut”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɒtom]
• Hyphenation: atom
• Rhymes: -om

Noun

atom (plural atomok)

1. atom

Declension

Derived terms

(Compound words):

• atombomba
• atomerőmű
• atomfegyver
• atomfizika
• atommag
• atommodell
• atomóra

References

---

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch atoom (“atom”), from French atome, from Latin atomus, from Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈatom]
• Hyphenation: a‧tom

Noun

atom (plural, first-person possessive atomku, second-person possessive atommu, third-person possessive atomnya)

1. (chemistry, physics) atom, the smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
2. (figuratively) modern

   Synonyms: modern, mutakhir

3. (figuratively) plastic, a synthetic, solid, hydrocarbon-based polymer, whether thermoplastic or thermosetting.

   Synonym: plastik

Derived terms

Further reading

• “atom” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI) Daring, Jakarta: Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa, Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, 2016.

---

Malay

Etymology

From English atom, from Old French atome, from Latin atomus, from Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /atom/
• Rhymes: -atom, -tom, -om

Noun

atom (plural atom-atom, informal 1st possessive atomku, impolite 2nd possessive atommu, 3rd possessive atomnya)

1. (physics) atom (physics: smallest possible amount of matter retaining its chemical properties)

---

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos)

Noun

atom n (definite singular atomet, indefinite plural atom or atomer, definite plural atoma or atomene)

1. an atom

Derived terms

• atommasse
• atomvekt

Related terms

• atom- (prefix)

References

• “atom” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

---

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos)

Noun

atom n (definite singular atomet, indefinite plural atom, definite plural atoma)

1. an atom

Derived terms

• atommasse
• atomvekt

Related terms

• atom- (prefix)

References

• “atom” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

---

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.tɔm/

Noun

atom m inan

1. (physics) atom

Declension

Derived terms

• atomowy

Further reading

• atom in Polish dictionaries at PWN

---

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aˈtom/

Noun

atom m (plural atomi)

1. atom

Declension

Further reading

• atom in DEX online - Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)

---

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ǎtoːm/
• Hyphenation: a‧tom

Noun

àtōm m (Cyrillic spelling а̀то̄м)

1. atom

Declension

References

• “atom” in Hrvatski jezični portal

---

Swedish

Noun

atom c

1. atom; the smallest particle to retain the properties of the element
2. (historical) atom; the theoretically smallest possible particle

Declension

Related terms

• atomär
• atombomb
• atomisk
• atomkärna
• atomkraft

See also

• elektron
• elementarpartikel
• foton
• neutron
• positron

---

Turkish

Etymology

Borrowed from French atome.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɑˈtɔm]

Noun

atom (definite accusative atomu, plural atomlar)

1. (physics) atom

Declension