ATOMIC

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does atomic mean? 

• ATOMIC (adjective)
  The adjective ATOMIC has 3 senses:

1. of or relating to or comprising atoms

2. (weapons) deriving destructive energy from the release of atomic energy

3. immeasurably small

  Familiarity information: ATOMIC used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ATOMIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or relating to or comprising atoms

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

atomic hydrogen

Pertainym:

atom ((physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element)

Derivation:

atom ((physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(weapons) deriving destructive energy from the release of atomic energy

Synonyms:

atomic; nuclear

Context example:

atomic bombs

Similar:

thermonuclear (using nuclear weapons based on fusion as distinguished from fission)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Immeasurably small

Similar:

little; small (limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent)

Derivation:

atom ((nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything)

 Context examples 

A solid formed by the solidification of a chemical and having a highly regular atomic structure.

(Crystal, NCI Thesaurus)

An element with atomic symbol Cu, atomic number 29, and atomic weight 63.

(Copper, NCI Thesaurus)

A unit of radioactivity in the CGS system, defined as 3.7 E10 atomic disintegrations or other nuclear transformations per second.

(Curie, NCI Thesaurus)

A unit of radioactivity equal to one millionth of a curie or 37 kilobecquerels, and corresponding to a radioactivity of 37 000 atomic disintegrations per second.

(Microcurie, NCI Thesaurus)

The sum of the atomic masses of all atoms in a molecule, based on a scale in which the atomic masses of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen are 1, 12, 14, and 16, respectively.

(Molecular mass, NCI Dictionary)

A unit of radioactivity equal to one thousandth of a curie or 37 megabecquerels, and corresponding to a radioactivity of 37 millions of atomic disintegrations per second.

(Millicurie, NCI Thesaurus)

An element with atomic symbol Co, atomic number 27, and atomic weight 58.93.

(Cobalt, NCI Thesaurus)

An element with atomic symbol Cr, atomic number 24, and atomic weight 52.

(Chromium, NCI Thesaurus)

A unit of radioactivity defined as 3.7 E8 atomic disintegrations or other nuclear transformations per second.

(Centicurie, NCI Thesaurus)

One of the longstanding problems of working with nanomaterials—substances at the molecular and atomic scale—is controlling their size.

(Materials for the next generation of electronics and photovoltaics, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)