At"om , v. t. To reduce to atoms. [Obs.]
Feltham.
At"om (&?;), n. [L. atomus, Gr. &?;, uncut, indivisible; 'a
priv. + &?;, verbal adj. of &?;
to cut: cf. F.
atome. See Tome.]
1. (Physics) (a)
An ultimate indivisible particle of matter. (b) An ultimate particle of matter not
necessarily indivisible; a molecule. (c) A constituent particle of matter, or
a molecule supposed to be made up of subordinate particles.
&fist; These three definitions correspond to different views of the nature of
the ultimate particles of matter. In
the case of
the last two, the particles are more correctly called molecules. Dana.
2. (Chem.) The smallest
particle of matter that can enter into combination; one of the elementary constituents of a molecule.
3. Anything extremely small; a particle; a
whit.
There was not
an atom of water.
Sir J. Ross.
Hear it pronounced