Is 'particle' a countable noun?

Yes. You can have one particle, two particles, many particles.

What's the difference between a 'particle' and an 'atom'?

An atom is a specific structure of protons, neutrons, and electrons. 'Particle' is a broader term that can refer to subatomic components (like electrons), atoms, molecules, or even tiny dust specks.

What is a 'grammatical particle'?

It's a word that does not change its form (is uninflected) and serves a grammatical function rather than a lexical one. Examples include prepositions ('to'), conjunctions ('and'), and the 'to' in infinitives.

Can 'particle' be used metaphorically?

Yes. Phrases like 'not a particle of doubt' or 'a particle of truth' are common metaphorical uses to mean 'the smallest amount'.

z particle

UK/ˈpɑː.tɪ.kəl/US/ˈpɑːr.t̬ɪ.kəl/

Formal to highly technical. Common in scientific, academic, and technical writing.

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

An extremely small piece or fragment of something; in physics, a minute piece of matter; in grammar, a minor part of speech (e.g., preposition, conjunction, interjection) that cannot be inflected.

In everyday usage, refers to a tiny bit or speck of something. In scientific contexts, denotes fundamental units of matter (e.g., electrons, protons). In linguistics, a function word that does not change form and expresses grammatical relationships.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

The word can denote physical fragments (e.g., dust particles), abstract quanta (e.g., a particle of truth), or grammatical units. Meaning is heavily context-dependent.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in core meaning. Usage frequency slightly higher in British scientific writing. The grammatical term is used identically.

Connotations

Neutral in both varieties. In UK popular science, may be used more broadly (e.g., 'particle of an idea').

Frequency

Comparably frequent. Slightly more common in UK media for environmental topics (e.g., 'airborne particles').

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

subatomic particleelementary particledust particletiny particlecharged particle

medium

fine particleairborne particleparticle physicsparticle sizeparticle accelerator

weak

particle of dustparticle of lightparticle boardparticle emissionalpha particle

Grammar

Valency Patterns

[Verb] + particle: emit particles, detect a particle[Adjective] + particle: elementary particle, minute particleparticle + [Preposition]: particle in the air, particle of matter

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

speck (for physical fragments)mote (for dust)fundamental unit (in physics)

Neutral

speckbitfragmentmotegranule

Weak

piecescrapshrediotajot

Vocabulary

Antonyms

wholebulkmassaggregatetotality

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“not a particle of evidence”
“every particle of his being”
“a particle of truth”
“to the last particle”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Rare. Possibly in manufacturing/quality control (e.g., 'filter particles from the fluid').

Academic

Very common in physics, chemistry, materials science, and linguistics.

Everyday

Used for small bits of dust, dirt, or sand. Also metaphorically (e.g., 'not a particle of sense').

Technical

Precise term in physics for electrons, quarks, etc., and in grammar for uninflected words.

Examples

By Part of Speech

noun

British English

A fine particle of chalk dust settled on the microscope slide.
The experiment aimed to detect a new subatomic particle.
In the phrase 'look up', 'up' is an adverbial particle.

American English

Tiny particles of glitter got all over the floor.
They collided particles at near-light speed in the accelerator.
The grammatical particle 'to' is used before an infinitive verb.

Examples

By CEFR Level

There is a particle of dust on your glasses.
The sunbeam showed particles in the air.

Scientists study very small particles called atoms.
In 'turn off the light', 'off' is a particle.

Particle accelerators are used to investigate the fundamental structure of matter.
Not a particle of evidence supported the extraordinary claim.

The behaviour of quantum particles challenges classical notions of locality.
The phrasal verb consists of a verb plus an adverbial particle which can alter its meaning significantly.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of a PART of an ICICLE that broke off – a PARTICLE is a tiny part that has broken off from something larger.

Conceptual Metaphor

KNOWLEDGE/TRUTH IS A SUBSTANCE THAT CAN BE BROKEN INTO PARTICLES (e.g., 'a particle of wisdom').

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Do not confuse with 'частица' (grammar) and 'частичка' (small piece). 'Particle physics' is 'физика элементарных частиц'. Avoid using 'particle' for a small section of text (use 'excerpt' or 'passage').

Common Mistakes

Using 'particle' to mean a small object (use 'item' or 'object'). Confusing 'particle' with 'molecule' or 'atom'. Incorrect: 'A particle of sugar' (if referring to a crystal grain).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

In a classic experiment, scientists fired a beam of alpha at a thin sheet of gold foil.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a correct use of the word 'particle'?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: Yes. You can have one particle, two particles, many particles.
: An atom is a specific structure of protons, neutrons, and electrons. 'Particle' is a broader term that can refer to subatomic components (like electrons), atoms, molecules, or even tiny dust specks.
: It's a word that does not change its form (is uninflected) and serves a grammatical function rather than a lexical one. Examples include prepositions ('to'), conjunctions ('and'), and the 'to' in infinitives.
: Yes. Phrases like 'not a particle of doubt' or 'a particle of truth' are common metaphorical uses to mean 'the smallest amount'.