Collins English-English Dictionary

particle ['pɑːtɪk^əl]

1. 1. n an extremely small piece of matter; speck

2. 2. n a very tiny amount; iota

   it doesn't make a particle of difference

3. 3. n a function word, esp (in certain languages) a word belonging to an uninflected class having suprasegmental or grammatical function

   the Greek particles ``men'' and ``de'' are used to express contrast

   questions in Japanese are indicated by the particle ``ka''

   English ``up'' is sometimes regarded as an adverbial particle

4. 4. n a common affix, such as re-, un-, or -ness

5. 5. n [physics] a body with finite mass that can be treated as having negligible size, and internal structure

6. 6. n See elementary particle

7. 7. n [RC Church] a small piece broken off from the Host at Mass

8. 8. n [archaic] a section or clause of a document

9. 9. n [Etymology] C14: from Latin particula a small part, from pars part