nano-

UK/ˈnænəʊ/US/ˈnænoʊ/

prefix

In the International System of Units and other metric systems of units, multiplying the unit to which it is attached by 10⁻⁹ (short scale billionth or long scale milliardth). Symbol: n

“nano- + biology → nanobiology”

Similar
mini-micro-[Appendix:Glossary-cule-ee-el-et-ette-icle
Opposite
giga-super-supra-hyper-ultra-
OriginLatin nānus ← Ancient Greek νᾶνος (nânos) →
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Meanings

prefix
  1. In the International System of Units and other metric systems of units, multiplying the unit to which it is attached by 10⁻⁹ (short scale billionth or long scale milliardth). Symbol: n

    Antonyms: giga-

  2. Derived from the nanotechnology industry.

    nano- + biology → nanobiology

  3. diminutiveVery small.

    nano- + particle → nanoparticle

    1 more example

    nano- + plankton → nanoplankton

    Synonyms: mini-, micro-[Appendix:Glossary, -cule, -ee, -el, -et, -ette, -icle · Antonyms: super-, supra-, hyper-, ultra-, uber-, macro-, arch-, over-

Synonyms & antonyms

prefixIn the International System of Units and other metric systems of units, multiplying the unit to which it is attached by 10⁻⁹ (short scale billionth or long scale milliardth). Symbol: n

Opposite
giga-

prefixVery small.

Similar
mini-micro-[Appendix:Glossary-cule-ee-el-et-ette-icle-ie-kin-le-let-ling-ole-ule-y
Opposite
super-supra-hyper-ultra-uber-macro-arch-over-mega-giga--zillagrandgreat
Also see
-cule-ee-el-et-ette-icle-ie-kin-le-let-lingmicro-mini--ole-ule-y

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekνᾶνος (nânos)
  2. Latinnānus
  3. Englishnano-

Borrowed from Latin nānus (“dwarf”), borrowed from Ancient Greek νᾶνος (nânos, “dwarf”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian нано-, нано-
  • нано- (nano-)10−9
  • нано- (nano-)nanotechnology industry
Catalan nano-
  • nano-10−9
Chinese Cantonese 納 /纳
  • 納 /纳 (naap⁶)10−9
Chinese Mandarin 納 /纳, 奈
  • 納 /纳 (nà)10−9
  • 奈 (nài)10−9
Czech nano-
  • nano-10−9
Danish nano-
  • nano-10−9
Dutch nano-
  • nano-10−9
Estonian nano-
  • nano-10−9
Finnish nano-, nano-
  • nano-10−9
  • nano-nanotechnology industry
French nano-
  • nano-10−9
German nano-
  • nano-10−9
Hebrew נאנו־, נאנו־
  • נאנו־ (náno-)10−9
  • נאנו־ (náno-)nanotechnology industry
Hindi नव-
  • नव- (nav-)10−9
Hungarian nano-
  • nano-10−9
Icelandic nanó-
  • nanó-10−9
Indonesian nano-
  • nano-10−9
Italian nano-
  • nano-10−9
Latvian nano-
  • nano-10−9
Malay nano-
  • nano-10−9
Polish nano-
  • nano-10−9
Portuguese nano-, nano-
  • nano-10−9
  • nano-nanotechnology industry
Romanian nano-
  • nano-10−9
Russian нано-, нано-
  • нано- (nano-)10−9
  • нано- (nano-)nanotechnology industry
Slovak nano-
  • nano-10−9
Spanish nano-
  • nano-10−9
Swedish nano-
  • nano-10−9
Turkish nano-
  • nano-10−9
Ukrainian нано-, нано-
  • нано- (nano-)10−9
  • нано- (nano-)nanotechnology industry
Vietnamese na-nô
  • na-nô10−9
Cite this entry
APA

nano-. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nano-

MLA

“nano-.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nano-. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nano-,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nano-.

Source: nano- on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.