1
: one billionth (10−9) part of
nanosecond
2
: nanotechnology
nanomachine
3
: nanoscale
nanoparticle
nanotube

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, from Greek nanos dwarf

Dictionary Entries Near nano-

Cite this Entry

“Nano-.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nano-. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

nano-

combining form
ˈnan-ō,
1
: very small
nanotechnology
2
: one billionth part of
nanogram
Etymology

from Greek nanos "dwarf"

More from Merriam-Webster on nano-

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!