subatomic

adjective

sub·​atom·​ic ˌsəb-ə-ˈtä-mik How to pronounce subatomic (audio)
1
: of or relating to the inside of the atom
2
: of, relating to, or being particles smaller than atoms

Examples of subatomic in a Sentence

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But physicists have long suspected that at a subatomic level, there is a something that inherently controls how fast these changes can occur. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026 Experimental evidence for the equation, however, remained restricted to the subatomic domain for many decades. — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 The discovery that our world emerges from a microscopic world of molecules, which emerges from an even more microscopic world of subatomic particles (which in turn emerges from even stranger stuff) triggered the rewriting of our theories of matter. — Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026 There is a dizzying array of subatomic particles in the particle zoo. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for subatomic

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of subatomic was in 1874

Rhymes for subatomic

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Browse Nearby Words

subatmospheric
subatomic
subaudible
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Cite this Entry

“Subatomic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subatomic. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Medical Definition

subatomic

adjective
sub·​atom·​ic ˌsəb-ə-ˈtäm-ik How to pronounce subatomic (audio)
1
: of or relating to the inside of the atom
2
: of, relating to, or being particles smaller than atoms
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