nanometer

American  

[nan-uh-mee-ter, ney-nuh-] / ˈnæn əˌmi tər, ˈneɪ nə- /

noun

1. one billionth of a meter. nm

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nanometer Scientific  

/ năn′ə-mē′tər /

1. One billionth (10 ^{- 9}) of a meter.

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Etymology

Origin of nanometer

First recorded in 1960–65; nano- + meter ¹

Compare meaning

How does nanometer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• micron vs. nanometer

Example Sentences

In this case, the precursor is a loose assembly of tau proteins measuring only tens of nanometers.

From Science Daily

Under extended exposure, the process produced nearly perfect nanodiamonds with a cubic crystal structure and diameters up to 10 nanometers, along with the release of hydrogen gas.

From Science Daily

To support that claim, the company provided The Wall Street Journal with images of chip designs printed at nanometer scale.

From The Wall Street Journal

Until now, these microscopic structures, just a few nanometers long, were impossible to observe directly.

From Science Daily

Almost immediately, the gold flakes are drawn toward the surface, but they stop just short of touching it, leaving behind extremely thin gaps measured in nanometers.

From Science Daily