What does nanotech mean?
Nanotech is a concise, informal name for nanotechnology, the branch of science concerned with materials and devices at the nanometre scale. One nanometre is one-billionth of a metre, a scale at which materials can exhibit properties that differ from those of larger structures. The term is used for research and applications in fields including medicine, electronics, materials science, and environmental engineering. Typical discussions concern nanoparticles, microscopic machines, and methods of manufacturing structures with extremely fine details. Nanotech has a broadly favourable public image because it is associated with innovation and precision, although the word can also be used loosely to describe any unusually small-scale technology. Formal scientific and technical writing usually uses the unabbreviated term nanotechnology.
nounNanotech is an informal abbreviation for nanotechnology: the study and application of materials, devices, and techniques operating at scales of a few nanometres. It commonly refers to the field as a whole, especially its use in engineering, medicine, electronics, and materials science.
- The field of nanotechnology, especially its scientific, engineering, and commercial applications.
"The company develops nanotech for targeted drug delivery."
"Government funding for nanotech research increased substantially."
"The lecture explained how nanotech could improve targeted cancer treatments."
Usually treated as a mass noun, so the plural is uncommon and may refer to separate nanotechnologies or organizations operating in the field.
"Several nanotechs are competing to commercialize miniature drug-delivery systems."
Nanotech works at a scale where a nanometre is about 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nanotech come from?
The word combines the prefix nano-, from the Greek nános, meaning “dwarf” or a very small size, with tech, an informal shortening of technology. The prefix nano- was adopted in the metric system to denote one billionth, while tech developed as a familiar shortening of technology. The compound nanotech became established in the late 20th century as a shortened form of nanotechnology.
Related word forms
How nanotech is actually used
Informal and usually journalistic or educational. In technical writing, nanotechnology is generally preferred. It is normally used as a mass noun, so plural forms are uncommon.