nanoscale

American  

[nan-uh-skeyl, ney-nuh-] / ˈnæn əˌskeɪl, ˈneɪ nə- /

adjective

1. of or relating to microscopic particles of matter, devices, etc., that are measured in nanometers or microns.

   a nanoscale sensor made of a single molecule.

---

noun

1. Measurements. a scale of measurement that uses nanometers or microns as units of measure.

nanoscale Scientific  

/ năn′ə-skāl′ /

1. Relating to or occurring on a scale of nanometers.

---

Etymology

Origin of nanoscale

First recorded in 1980–85; nano- + scale ²

Example Sentences

"We synthesize unique nanoscale building blocks and stack them into interesting structures. In this case, we were able to stabilize these theorized transitional structures and demonstrate important quantum optical properties."

From Science Daily • May 30, 2026

To be sure, commercial aerospace and nanoscale chip manufacturing are very different industries.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

Because the particles and interactions occur at the nanoscale, directly observing them is extremely difficult.

From Science Daily • May 13, 2026

More importantly, they were able to create detailed nanoscale maps showing not just whether electronic order is present, but how strong it is and how it connects across different regions.

From Science Daily • Apr. 28, 2026

At the nanoscale, changes in structure can also influence how cells behave, opening possible applications in bioengineering.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026