Standard Lemma guide

nano-

prefix · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈnænəʊ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈnænoʊ/

1

prefix

Meaning 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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: giga-

2

prefix

Meaning 2

Derived from the nanotechnology industry.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • nano- + biology → nanobiology

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

prefix

Meaning 3

Very small.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: diminutive, morpheme

Examples

  • nano- + particle → nanoparticle
  • nano- + plankton → nanoplankton

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mini-, micro-[Appendix:Glossary, -cule, -ee, -el, -et, -ette, -icle, -ie, -kin, -le, -let, -ling, -ole, -ule, -y

Antonyms: super-, supra-, hyper-, ultra-, uber-, macro-, arch-, over-, mega-, giga-, -zilla, grand, great

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek νᾶνος (nânos)bor. Latin nānusbor. English nano- Borrowed from Latin nānus (“dwarf”), borrowed from Ancient Greek νᾶνος (nânos, “dwarf”).

Across languages

Translations

41 source translations are retained for this English entry.

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