particle

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˈpɑːtɪk(ə)l/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /ˈpɑrtɪkəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

Singular particle

Plural particles

1. (countable) (physics) A particle is a very small, tiny piece.

   His eye hurt because a particle of dust had got into it.

2. (countable) (linguistics) A particle is a type of complement in a verb phrase, coming either between a verb and a direct object or after the object.

   In I picked it up and I picked up the bit, the preposition up functions as a particle.

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