nanotechnology

noun

nano·​tech·​nol·​o·​gy ˌna-nō-tek-ˈnä-lə-jē How to pronounce nanotechnology (audio)
: the manipulation of materials on an atomic or molecular scale especially to build microscopic devices (such as robots)
Placing atoms as though they were bricks, nanotechnology will give us complete control over the structure of matter, allowing us to build any substance or structure permitted by the laws of nature.Science News
Once the province of science fiction, nanotechnology, the science of assembling materials one atom at a time, is now the rage among Silicon Valley investors.Karen Breslau
nanotechnological adjective
nanotechnologist noun

Did you know?

Nanotechnology, or nanotech for short, deals with matter at a level that most of us find hard to imagine, since it involves objects with dimensions of 100 billionths of a meter (1/800th of the thickness of a human hair) or less. The chemical and physical properties of materials often change greatly at this scale. Nanotechnology is already being used in automobile tires, land-mine detectors, and computer disk drives. Nanomedicine is a particularly exciting field: Imagine particles the size of a blood cell that could be released into the bloodstream to form into tiny robots and attack cancer cells, or "machines" the size of a molecule that could actually repair the damaged interiors of individual cells.

Examples of nanotechnology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At the time Rome, who had become a dean of research at UCLA’s school of medicine, was helping develop the university’s part of a new $100 million statewide nanotechnology effort backed by California’s governor—what would become CNSI. Byjohn Travis, science.org, 6 June 2024 San Jose’s Edenvale district is home to an array of businesses, including advanced manufacturing, medical and nanotechnology companies. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 25 July 2024 One recent study published in the journal Nature highlighted the ways in which nanotechnology typically used in the medical field could be used to deliver pesticides, herbicides and fungicides to specific biological targets in plants where infections and other issues can occur. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2024 While best known as the birthplace of the atomic bomb, the lab today focuses on everything from national security, nuclear fusion, renewable energy, medicine and nanotechnology. David Faris, Newsweek, 10 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for nanotechnology 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nanotechnology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nanotechnology was in 1974

Dictionary Entries Near nanotechnology

Cite this Entry

“Nanotechnology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nanotechnology. Accessed 2 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

nanotechnology

noun
nano·​tech·​nol·​o·​gy
ˌnan-ō-tek-ˈnäl-ə-jē
: the art of using and controlling materials on an atomic or molecular scale especially in order to create microscopic devices

More from Merriam-Webster on nanotechnology

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