particle : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: particle	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for particle
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
particle n (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything [syn: atom, molecule, particle, corpuscle, mote, speck] a body having finite mass and internal structure but negligible dimensions Synonym(s): particle, subatomic particle a function word that can be used in English to form phrasal verbs
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Particle \Par"ticle\, n. [L. particula, dim of pars, gen partis, a part: cf. F. particule. See {Part}, and cf. {Parcel}.] 1. A minute part or portion of matter; a morsel; a little bit; an atom; a jot; as, a particle* of sand, of wood, of dust. The small size of atoms which unite To make the smallest particle of light. --Blackmore. 2. Any very small portion or part; the smallest portion; as, he has not a particle of patriotism or virtue. The houses had not given their commissioners authority in the least particle to recede. --Clarendon. 3. (R. C. Ch.) (a) A crumb or little piece of concecrated host. (b) The smaller hosts distributed in the communion of the laity. --Bp. Fitzpatrick. 4. (Gram.) A subordinate word that is never inflected (a preposition, conjunction, interjection); or a word that can not be used except in compositions; as, ward in backward, ly in lovely.