atom

Term: atom

Literally meaning: “indivisible, uncut"

 Origin: Anc Greek

 α-/a (privative, “non”)

τομή/tome(=section, trunk, stalk) >τέμνω/temno(=cut) 

Coined/History

The concept of “the smallest indivisible particle of matter” was emerghed in 5^th century BCE by Leucippus but the name was coined by his student Democritus. Although the first meaning was based on philosophy the “atom” idea was revived by British chemist John Dalton (1766 – 1844).

Definition

Atom is the basic unit of matter