nanometer

noun

nano·​me·​ter ˈna-nə-ˌmē-tər How to pronounce nanometer (audio)
: one billionth of a meter

Examples of nanometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cerebras' chip is also made at TSMC, but on its less advanced 5-nanometer node. Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 15 May 2026 Working with researchers from Queen’s University, the team concentrated this light into a small region, just a few nanometers wide, using a process called coherent harmonic focus. Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026 Laser beams called optical tweezers trap and hold each atom in place, so they can be positioned and moved with nanometer precision. Karl Freund, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026 Now, using a system designed and built by the Fraunhofer Center for Applied Photonics in Glasgow, Vector Photonics’ PCSELs transmitted data through open air at the near-infrared wavelength of 1310 nanometers—in telecom’s O-band, a familiar wavelength for fiber-optic communications. IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for nanometer

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nanometer was in 1963

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Cite this Entry

“Nanometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nanometer. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

nanometer

noun
nano·​meter
ˈnan-ə-ˌmēt-ər
: one billionth of a meter

Medical Definition

nanometer

noun
nano·​me·​ter
variants or chiefly British nanometre
: one billionth of a meter
abbreviation nm

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