atomic

American  

[uh-tom-ik] / əˈtɒm ɪk /

Also atomical

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, resulting from, or using atoms, atomic energy, or atomic bombs.

   an atomic explosion.

2. propelled or driven by atomic energy.

   an atomic submarine.

3. Chemistry. existing as free, uncombined atoms.

4. extremely minute.

---

atomic British  

/ əˈtɒmɪk /

adjective

1. of, using, or characterized by atomic bombs or atomic energy

   atomic warfare

2. of, related to, or comprising atoms

   atomic hydrogen

3. extremely small; minute

4. logic (of a sentence, formula, etc) having no internal structure at the appropriate level of analysis. In predicate calculus, Fa is an atomic sentence and Fx an atomic predicate

---

atomic Scientific  

/ ə-tŏm′ĭk /

1. Relating to an atom or to atoms.

2. Employing nuclear energy.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonatomic
  adjective
• nonatomical
  adjective
• atomically
  adverb
• nonatomically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of atomic

First recorded in 1670–80; atom + -ic

Explanation

Something that has to do with atoms is atomic. Atomic structure, for example, means the way an atom is organized and what it's made of. You'll often find the word atomic specifically describing power or weapons — in this case, atomic means the process of either splitting an atom, known as fission, or joining two atoms, fusion, to create energy. Also, every chemical element has its own atomic number, which is the number of protons in the nucleus of one of the element's atoms. Atomic comes from the Latin atomus, "indivisible particle," from the Greek atomos, "uncut" or "indivisible."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

atomic

But alternatives exist: Precise time can travel by fiber-optic cable and be kept by land-based atomic clocks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

The map in your pocket rests on atomic clocks in the sky.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

The team's next goal is to determine whether the same properties remain when Fe5GeTe2 is exfoliated until it is only a single atomic layer thick.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

Slim Pickens yee-hawed riding “Dr. Strangelove’s” atomic bomb to oblivion; Cruise brandishes his grandpappy’s original shovel that struck crude in 1917 and whoops, “Oil is the mother’s milk of Earth!”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

At the atomic level, the lines that separate our bodies from our environment are not as definite as you might think.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

• microscopic