particle
gb/pˈɑɹtɪkəl/ us/pˈɑɹtɪkəl/
B2
English
~ 7100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
very small piece of material
A very small piece of a substance, like dust or dirt.
Usage pattern:
a particle of [substance]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "particle" is only a physics word. In everyday English, it is also common for very small bits of dust, dirt, or food. Also, learners may confuse "particle" with the similar-sounding word "article," which has a completely different meaning.
Synonyms
speck (Often suggests something extremely small and usually seen as a tiny mark.)
|
grain (Suggests a small, hard piece, especially of sand, salt, or cereal.)
|
bit (A very general word for a small piece; less precise and less scientific than "particle.")
Antonyms
mass (Refers to a large, continuous body of matter rather than many tiny separate pieces.)
Collocations
dust particles
|food particles
|airborne particles
|fine particles
|tiny particles
|smoke particles
Themes
science
|nature
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Sunlight streamed through the window, catching the dust particles in the air.
- Rinse the dishes well to remove any food particles.
- The filter is designed to trap tiny particles in the water supply.
- Scientists measured the concentration of fine particles in the city’s air.
Learner examples
- I could see small dust particles in the light.
- Brush your teeth to clean food particles from your mouth.
- The mask stops tiny particles from entering your nose.
- The water looked dirty because of many small particles.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
2
extremely small unit of matter
In physics, a very, very small piece of matter or energy, like an electron or proton.
Usage pattern:
a subatomic particle called [name]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes mix this meaning with the everyday sense of a small piece of dust or dirt. In physics, "particle" usually means a subatomic or fundamental unit like an electron, not just any small bit of material.
Synonyms
subatomic unit (A descriptive technical phrase that highlights the scale, often used in explanations rather than in strict scientific naming.)
|
quantum (In physics, can refer to a discrete quantity or unit, but is more specialized and does not cover all types of particles.)
Antonyms
macroscopic object (Refers to an object large enough to be seen directly, in contrast to tiny particles that usually require instruments to detect.)
Collocations
subatomic particle
|elementary particle
|fundamental particles
|particle physics
|particle accelerator
|high-energy particles
Themes
physics
|science
|technology
Examples
- Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom.
- The experiment detected a new subatomic particle that had never been observed before.
- Particle physics seeks to understand the fundamental particles and forces that make up the universe.
- A particle accelerator speeds up charged particles and smashes them together for study.
Learner examples
- An atom is made of very small particles.
- Electrons are tiny particles with a negative charge.
- Scientists study particles to learn how the universe works.
- A particle accelerator makes particles move very, very fast.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
3
small grammatical function word
In grammar, a small word like "not" or "up" that helps show grammar or meaning in a phrase, but does not have a clear meaning by itself.
Usage pattern:
the particle [word]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse particles with prepositions because some words, like "up" or "off," can be both. In phrasal verbs, these words are usually called particles, not prepositions, because they form a single unit of meaning with the verb.
Synonyms
function word (A broader linguistic term that includes particles but also other items such as prepositions and conjunctions.)
|
marker (Often used in linguistics for a word or morpheme that indicates a grammatical category, similar to many particles.)
Antonyms
content word (Refers to words like nouns, main verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that carry clear lexical meaning, not just grammatical function.)
Collocations
grammatical particle
|phrasal verb particle
|negative particle
|aspect particle
|the particle "to"
Themes
language
|grammar
|education
|communication
Examples
- In the phrasal verb "turn off," the word "off" is a particle.
- Some languages use a question particle at the end of a sentence.
- The word "to" in "to go" is often described as the infinitive particle.
- In this construction, the negative particle comes before the verb.
Learner examples
- In English, "up" in "pick up" is a particle.
- The word "not" is a common negative particle.
- "To" in "to read" is called the infinitive particle.
- Some languages have a special particle to show a question.
Noun
C1
quantity
4
very small, almost zero amount
A very, very small amount of something, often used to say there is almost none.
Usage pattern:
a particle of [abstract noun]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this always refers to physical bits, but in this sense it describes an amount of something abstract, like evidence, truth, or doubt. It is especially common in negative phrases like "not a particle of."
Synonyms
trace (A very small sign or amount of something, often used in similar negative or careful statements.)
|
shred (Often used with abstract nouns like "evidence" or "doubt" to mean a very small amount.)
|
hint (A small amount or sign, especially of a feeling or quality, but less emphatic than "particle.")
Antonyms
abundance (Means a very large amount of something, the opposite of a tiny or almost zero amount.)
Collocations
not a particle of
|a particle of truth
|without a particle of
|the least particle of
Themes
evaluation
|emotion
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There was not a particle of evidence to support the claim.
- She listened without a particle of interest.
- His story may contain a particle of truth, but most of it is clearly exaggerated.
- They acted without a particle of fear, even in such danger.
Learner examples
- The police found not a particle of proof.
- I do not feel a particle of doubt about my choice.
- There is a particle of truth in what he says.
- She spoke without a particle of anger in her voice.
Grammar
Dictionary form
particle
IPA
GB/pˈɑɹtɪkəl/
US/pˈɑɹtɪkəl/
Syllables & stress
particle (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (particle)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: particle
- Plural: particles
Word family
Forms
particles
noun
Core family
particulate
adjective
Related words
Advanced or less common
antiparticle
noun
Expressions
a particle of truth
1/ə pˈɑɹtɪkəl əv tɹˈuθ/
fixed phrase
a small part that is true
Used to say that a statement or story is mostly wrong, but has a very small part that is true.
Examples
- Her story may have a particle of truth, but it is largely invented.
- There is a particle of truth in the criticism, even if it is unfair overall.
- The film is fiction, though it contains a particle of truth about life in that period.
not a particle of
1/nˈɑt ə pˈɑɹtɪkəl əv/
fixed phrase
not even a tiny bit
Used to say there is no amount of something at all, not even a very small amount.
Examples
- There is not a particle of truth in that rumor.
- He showed not a particle of interest in the proposal.
- They acted without a particle of hesitation.