nano

[nan-oh, ney-noh]

noun

Origin of nano

by shortening

nano-

a combining form with the meaning “very small, minute,” used in the formation of compound words (nanoplankton); in the names of units of measure it has the specific sense “one billionth” (10-9): nanomole; nanosecond.

Also nanno-; especially before a vowel, nan-.

Origin of nano-

combining form representing Greek nânos, nánnos dwarf

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nano

Contemporary Examples of nano

In 2006, the Left Front government invited the magnate Ratan Tata to set up his Nano factory at Singur.
Mamata Banerjee, India's Political Superwoman
Shoma Chaudhury
May 18, 2011

Historical Examples of nano

Nano Amaldi's injuries proved far less serious than was at first believed.
Shadows of Flames
Amelie Rives

British Dictionary definitions for nano

nano-

combining form

denoting 10 –9nanosecond Symbol: n

indicating extreme smallnessnanoplankton

Word Origin for nano-

from Latin nānus dwarf, from Greek nanos

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for nano

nano-

introduced 1947 (at 14th conference of the Union Internationale de Chimie) as a prefix for units of one thousand-millionth part, from Greek nanos "a dwarf." According to Watkins, this is originally "little old man," from nannos "uncle," masc. of nanna "aunt" (see nana). Earlier it was used as a prefix to mean "dwarf, dwarfish," and still in a non-scientific sense of "very small."

nano in Medicine

nano-

pref.

Extremely small:nanoid.

One-billionth (10-9):nanometer.

nano in Science

nano-

A prefix that means:

Very small or at a microscopic level, as in nanotube. In this sense, this prefix is sometimes spelled nanno-, as in nannoplankton.

One billionth, as in nanosecond, one billionth of a second.