Science & TechnologyGreek → English
Atom
/ˈætəm/
The smallest unit of ordinary matter that forms a chemical element.
The Greek roots
ἄτομος
átomos
uncuttable, indivisible
Literally: “that which cannot be cut”
Follow a root:ἄτομος1 word
The story of the word
The philosopher Democritus imagined matter reduced to particles so small they could no longer be divided. Science kept the name long after atoms proved to be divisible after all.
In a sentence
Every atom in your body was forged inside a star.