nano-

1.
a combining form with the meaning “very small, minute,” used in the formation of compound words (nanoplankton); in the names of units of measure it has the specific sense “one billionth” (10 -9):
nanomole; nanosecond.
Also, nanno-; especially before a vowel, nan-.
Origin
combining form representing Greek nânos, nánnos dwarf
British Dictionary definitions for nano-

nano-

combining form
1.
denoting 10–9: nanosecond, n
2.
indicating extreme smallness: nanoplankton
Word Origin
from Latin nānus dwarf, from Greek nanos
Word Origin and History for nano-

introduced 1947 (at 14th conference of the Union Internationale de Chimie) as a prefix for units of one thousand-millionth part, from Greek nanos "a dwarf." According to Watkins, this is originally "little old man," from nannos "uncle," masc. of nanna "aunt" (see nana). Earlier it was used as a prefix to mean "dwarf, dwarfish," and still in a non-scientific sense of "very small."

nano- in Medicine

nano- pref.

  1. Extremely small: nanoid.

  2. One-billionth (10-9): nanometer.

nano- in Science
nano-  

  1. A prefix that means:

  2. Very small or at a microscopic level, as in nanotube. In this sense, this prefix is sometimes spelled nanno-, as in nannoplankton.

  3. One billionth, as in nanosecond, one billionth of a second.


nano- in Technology


/nan'oh/ 1. A prefix meaning 10^-9 or one billionth.
Used loosely to mean "small", e.g. nanotechnology, or (rarely), following "nanosecond", to mean a short time, e.g. "I'll be with you in a nano".
[Jargon File]
(2002-03-02)