nanoparticle
NAN-oh-par-ti-kul
/ˈnænoʊpɑːrtɪkl/
A microscopic particle whose size is measured in nanometers.
Often used in the context of drug delivery, sunscreens, or catalysts where the high surface-area-to-volume ratio is beneficial.
The story behind the word. A modern compound. 'Particle' comes from the Latin 'particula', the diminutive of 'pars' (part). It describes a 'tiny part' of matter on the 'billionth' scale.
Commonly confused with
- nanotube: A nanoparticle is usually spherical or irregular; a nanotube is specifically a cylinder.
Collocations
- silver nanoparticle
- gold nanoparticle
- nanoparticle delivery
Example sentences
- "Silver nanoparticles are used in some medical dressings because of their potent antibacterial properties." A health and safety report on sunscreens.
- "The researchers are investigating how nanoparticles behave when they enter the water supply." An environmental science paper.
Memory hook
A 'Nano' (tiny) 'Particle' (bit) that can carry medicine into a cell. Billionth-sized bit.
When not to use
Do not use for larger particles like dust or sand; those are 'microparticles' or 'grains'.
Fun facts
- Gold nanoparticles don't look gold; depending on their size, they can appear red or purple in a liquid.
Related words
Explore more words
nanomedicine, Nanomaterial, particulate, microplastic, particle, aerosolize
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