English Explanatory Dictionary

atomy

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A tiny particle; an atom, a mote, a speck.
  2. A floating mote or speck of dust.
  3. The smallest, indivisible constituent part or unit of something; an atom.
  4. A very small being; a mite.
adj
  1. Made up of tiny particles.
  2. Resembling a tiny particle; atomlike.
noun
  1. A skeleton.
  2. A person who is very emaciated or thin; a skeleton.
  3. Chiefly in the works of the English author Charles Dickens (1812–1870): a thing which is very slender and weak.

Pronunciation

/ˈætəmi/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-atomy.wav [-ɾə-] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-atomy.wav

Word forms

atomy atomies more atomy most atomy

Etymology

A variant of atomi, the plural of atomus (“hypothetical particle posited as an ultimate and indivisible component of matter; mote of dust in a sunbeam”) treated as a singular form. Atomus is derived from Latin atomus, from Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos, “indivisible”, adjective), from ᾰ̓- (ă-, prefix forming terms having an opposite sense) + τομ- (tom-) (stem of τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- (“to cut”)) + -ος (-os, suffix forming nouns of action or result). Doublet of atom.

Synonyms

ace atom atomy aught bissel bit crumb glimpse dab damn dash diddly glint dot spatter drop dusting fleck glimmer hint flip flyspeck grain halfpennyworth inch iota jot lick mite modicum molecule morceau morsel mote ooch ounce particle pennyworth piece pinch relish scantling semblance scent scintilla scooch scrap scruple shred skerrick skoosh skosh sliver smattering smidge smidgen smidget smidgy smitch smithereen
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