What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Atom vs Tom - What's the difference?

atom | tom |

As nouns the difference between atom and tom

is that atom is the smallest medieval unit of time, equal to fifteen ninety-fourths of a second while tom is the male of the domesticated cat.

As a verb tom is

to act in an obsequiously servile manner toward white authority.

As a proper noun Tom is

a diminutive=Thomas given name, also used as a formal male given name.

atom

English

(wikipedia atom)

Alternative forms

* atomus (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • (history of science) A hypothetical particle posited by Greek philosophers as an ultimate and indivisible component of matter.
  • (physics, chemistry) The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author= Katie L. Burke
    • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= In the News , passage=Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis:
  • A mote of dust in a sunbeam.
  • The smallest, indivisible constituent part or unit of something. (Now generally interpreted as a figurative use of the physics sense, above.)
  • * 1835 , Sir , Sir (James Clark Ross), Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …'', Volume 1 , pp.284-5
    • Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.
  • A very small amount (of something immaterial); a whit.
  • * 1873 , (Isabella Macdonald Alden) (as "Pansy"), Three People , Western Tract and Book Society (1873), page 325:
    • "I have hardly the faintest atom of hope," answered this honest, earnest man.
  • *
    • those of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength
  • (mathematics) A non-zero member of a (Boolean algebra) that is not a union of any other elements.
  • (computing, programming, Lisp) An individual number or symbol, as opposed to a list. A scalar value.

    • Synonyms

    * See also * (small amount) see also .

    Related terms

    * atom smasher * atomic * atomize

    See also

    * element

    References

    * archived version of Wikipedia page "Atom (disambiguation)"

    Anagrams

    * * * * * ----

    tom

    English

    Etymology 1

    From generic use of the proper name Tom .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The male of the domesticated cat.
  • The male of the turkey.
  • The male of certain other animals.
  • (British, slang) A prostitute.
  • (music) A type of drum.
  • (obsolete) The jack of trumps in the card game gleek.
    • Synonyms
    * (male cat) tomcat, he-cat * (male turkey) turkey-cock * (male of other animals) male * (prostitute) See also
    Derived terms
    * tomboy * tomcat * tomfool * tom-tit

    Etymology 2

    Shortened from tomato

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A tomato (the fruit).
    • Toms 90p a pound

    Etymology 3

    Rhyming slang from tomfoolery.

    Noun

    (-)
  • (Cockney rhyming slang) jewellery

    • Etymology 4

    From Uncle Tom.

    Verb

    (tomm)
  • (intransitive, derogatory, of a black person) To act in an obsequiously servile manner toward white authority.

    • Etymology 5

    Verb

    (tomm)
  • (nautical) To dig out a hole below the hatch cover of a bulker and fill it with cargo or weights to aid stability.

    • Anagrams

    * ----