particulate

CEFRC1

/pɑːˈtɪk.jʊ.lɪt/

adjective · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Made of very small separate particles.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Any solid or liquid in a subdivided state, especially one that exhibits special characteristics which are negligible in the bulk material.

Examples

  • In India's large cities, the air's particulate matter content is frighteningly high.

  • Some cruise ships emit as much particulate matter as 1m cars.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • /pɑːˈtɪk.jʊˌleɪt/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Pertaining to heritable characteristics which are attributable discretely to either one or another of an offspring's parents, rather than a blend of the two.

  2. Composed of separate particles.

verb

Extra meaning

  1. To reduce to particles, make particulate.

More examples

In context

  • Particulates in engine oil can abrade moving parts.

  • particulate air pollution

  • particulate matter

Synonyms

Quick test

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Question 1 · Quick check

The high-end air filter removes blank matter from the smoke of wildfires.

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Nearby

Origin

adjective

From New Latin particulātus (“divided into small parts”) (also particulāta (“small parts”), from its neuter plural), from Classical Latin particula (“particle”), from pars (“part, piece”) + -cula (diminutive suffix), + -ātus (-ate). The verb is probably independently from the adjective rather than from Etymology 2.