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nanoparticle

American  
[nan-oh-pahr-ti-kuhl, ney-noh-] / ˈnæn oʊˌpɑr tɪ kəl, ˈneɪ noʊ- /

noun

  1. a microscopic particle of matter that is measured on the nanoscale, usually one that measures less than 100 nanometers.


nanoparticle British  
/ ˈnænəʊˌpɑːtɪkəl /

noun

  1. a particle with dimensions less than 100 nanometres

"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

Etymology

Origin of nanoparticle

First recorded in 1980–85; nano- + particle

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

They then coated the particles with long molecular chains that acted like sticky connectors and allowed them to assemble into larger, ordered structures known as nanoparticle superlattices.

From Science Daily May 30, 2026

The companies had accused Moderna of using their patented lipid nanoparticle technology—the delivery system featured in Moderna’s Spikevax Covid-19 vaccine—without permission.

From Barron's May 1, 2026

Arbutus and Genevant sued Moderna last year, saying that they held patents covering the lipid nanoparticle technology used in Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine.

From Barron's Mar. 4, 2026

Each nanoparticle included a lipid core, immune activating DNA and a short fragment of an HPV protein already present in tumor cells.

From Science Daily Feb. 18, 2026

Initial experiments with simple nanoparticle solutions showed that the system could reach femtomolar sensitivity.

From Science Daily Dec. 23, 2025

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