particle
//ˈpɑːr.tɪ.kəl//
Noun
particleSingular
particlesPlural
1
A minute portion of matter; an extremely small piece or amount.
Dust particles floated in the sunlight.
2
In physics, a subatomic constituent of matter, such as an electron, proton, or neutron.
Scientists discovered a new particle at the research facility.
3
In grammar, a function word that has no inflection and typically has grammatical or pragmatic meaning, such as 'not' or 'up'.
In English, 'not' and 'up' are examples of particles.