atomy

¹ American  

[at-uh-mee] / ˈæt ə mi /

noun

atomies plural

1. an atom; mote.

2. a small creature; pygmy.

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atomy ² American  

[at-uh-mee] / ˈæt ə mi /

noun

atomies plural

1. a skeleton.

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atomy ¹ British  

/ ˈætəmɪ /

noun

1. an atom or minute particle

2. a minute creature

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atomy ² British  

/ ˈætəmɪ /

noun

1. an obsolete word for skeleton

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Etymology

Origin of atomy¹

1585–95; singular use of Latin atomī, plural of atomus atom

Origin of atomy²

1590–1600; variant of anatomy (taken as an atomy )

Example Sentences

The Wait felt so strange that he took the furry atomy without protest, and popped it into his mouth without any feelings that it was going to be nasty.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

The laughableness of the thing—this ferocious atomy defying him—struck home to the little man.

From Bob, Son of Battle by Ollivant, Alfred

But there was a man called Brygandyne—Bob Brygandyne—Clerk of the King’s Ships, a little, smooth, bustling atomy, as clever as a woman to get work done for nothin’—a won’erful smooth-tongued pleader.

From Rewards and Fairies by Kipling, Rudyard

Yet it was a pleasant street in spite of its improvements; in spite, too, of a long, gray smoke-plume crossing the summer sky and dropping an occasional atomy of coal upon Mr. Corliss's white coat.

From The Flirt by Tarkington, Booth

Here,—as I coil the stems between two leaves,— It is as if, dwindling to atomy size, I cried the secret between two universes .

From The House of Dust; a symphony by Aiken, Conrad