1. extremely small pieces of matter
2. tiny units of matter such as atoms, molecules, or subatomic components
Usage: physics; chemistry
3. small words that express grammatical relationships or modify meaning
Usage: grammar; linguistics

Examples

• Dust particles floated in the sunlight streaming through the window.
• The air filter removes harmful particles from the atmosphere.
• Scientists study subatomic particles to understand the nature of matter.
• Alpha particles are emitted during radioactive decay.
• In Japanese, particles like ‘wa’ and ‘ga’ indicate the subject of a sentence.
• The physicist detected charged particles in the accelerator.
• Microscopic particles of pollen cause seasonal allergies.