subatomic
adjective
sub·atom·ic
| \ ˌsəb-ə-ˈtä-mik
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Definition of subatomic
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
Recent Examples on the Web
In standard quantum mechanics, a quantum system such as a subatomic particle is represented by a mathematical abstraction called the wave function. — Wired, "A New Quantum Paradox Flags Errors in Our View of Reality," 9 Dec. 2018 Neutrinos are subatomic particles that travel millions of light years in a straight line through space, passing like tiny arrows through everything in their path, including stars and even people. — Mark Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "UW-Madison scientists expand effort to solve mysteries of universe inside South Pole ice," 16 July 2019 The new method uses neutrons, neutrally charged subatomic particles that spin in the opposite direction of a magnetic field’s alignment. — Anna Groves, Discover Magazine, "A New Way to See Magnetic Fields," 11 Feb. 2019 Trillions of the subatomic things pass through your body and the rest of the planet every second, without disturbing any atoms. — Bill Andrews, Discover Magazine, "State of Science: Neutrinos Provide a New Way to Probe the Cosmos," 1 Jan. 2019 One is quantum mechanics, which deals with the behaviour of very small things like molecules, atoms and subatomic particles. — The Economist, "How Einstein and Eddington stood against jingoism," 7 June 2019 Only dark matter and certain subatomic particles like muons and neutrinos can pass through the thousands of feet of dense rock. — Joe Lindsey, Popular Mechanics, "Filling the Void: What Is Dark Matter?," 28 May 2019 Light axions looking for enlightenment The version of dark matter that is the focus of this work is a hypothetical subatomic particle known as the axion. — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "Pulsars could convert dark matter into something we could see," 20 Dec. 2018 Scientists discovered in 1912 that subatomic particles — the building blocks of matter, such as protons, electrons, muons, neutrinos, and quarks — hit the Earth every day. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "10 science stories in 2018 that made us go, “Whoa, that’s awesome”," 18 Dec. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subatomic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for subatomic
subatomic
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of subatomic
: smaller than an atom
: of or relating to the inside of an atom
See the full definition for subatomic in the English Language Learners Dictionary
subatomic
adjective
sub·atom·ic
| \ ˌsəb-ə-ˈtäm-ik
\
\
Medical Definition of subatomic
1
: of or relating to the inside of the atom
2
: of, relating to, or being particles smaller than atoms