Micropiece

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A very small fragment or portion of a material or object; a tiny individual component or segment of a larger whole; a miniature element or part regarded as distinct or significant
2. An extremely minute section or shard derived from a broader entity; a diminutive unit or slice considered part of a greater structure; a compact fragment of material with distinct characteristics
3. A tiny, often microscopic, piece or subdivision of a substance or item; a discrete and minuscule fragment belonging to something larger; an exceptionally small and separate portion or particle

Etymology: "Micropiece" is a compound of two elements from Greek, though it is not an old word. The first part, "micro-", comes from the Greek "mikros", meaning "small", and has been used as a combining form in English since the 19th century, mostly in scientific and technical coinages. The second part, "piece", came into English from Old French "piece" in the 13th century, with a root that is probably Gaulish or Celtic in origin, though this is uncertain. Because "micro-" is so productive, "micropiece" is a transparent formation: a piece made small, or a small piece, with no single famous coiner or moment of invention. The compound appears mainly in technical and scientific writing about materials and fragments, where it fills a need for a precise word at a tiny scale. Its meaning follows directly from its parts, without any sharp shift from an earlier sense.

Synonyms: small piece, tiny fragment, minute part

Antonyms: large piece, whole