Meanings
plural nanomachines
- Any mechanical device, manufactured using nanotechnology, having a scale measured in nanometres.
1 more example
There are many terrifying possibilities for nanotechnology; military nanomachines could infiltrate human bodies and systematically tear them apart using the same principles medical nanomachines will use to repair them. An uncontrolled nanomachine designed to replicate itself could lead to the "grey goo" scenario that once panicked Prince Charles.
2010 September 2, Thomas Barfield, “Get ready for a world of nanotechnology”, in The Guardian
present singular third person nanomachines · participle present nanomachining · participle past nanomachined · past nanomachined
- To machine with tolerances measured in nanometres.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny mechanical device, manufactured using nanotechnology, having a scale measured in nanometres.
Origin
- Ancient Greekνᾶνος (nânos)
- Latinnānus
- Englishnano-
- Proto-Indo-European*megʰ-der.?
- Ancient Greekμηχᾰνή (mēkhănḗ)
- Latinmāchina
- Middle Frenchmachine
- Englishmachine
- Englishnanomachine
Translations
French nanomachine
- nanomachineTranslations
Italian nanomacchina
- nanomacchinaTranslations
Spanish nanomáquina
- nanomáquinaTranslations
Cite this entry
nanomachine. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nanomachine
“nanomachine.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nanomachine. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nanomachine,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nanomachine.
Source: nanomachine on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.