different between molecule vs modicum

English

Etymology

Summary: from French molécule, from New Latin molecula (“a molecule”), diminutive of Latin moles (“a mass”); see mole + -cule.

French molécule (1674, Pierre Le Gallois, Conversations tirées de l'Académie de M. l'abbé Bourdelot, contenant diverses recherches et observations physiques) cited in Quemada, Bernard (1965), Datations et documents lexicographiques (tome 3).

Medieval Latin molecula (early XVII cent., Pierre Gassendi), cited in Le Grand Robert de la Langue Française (2e édn) tome 6. ?ISBN. pp. 522–23. Diminutive of moles

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m?l?kju?l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?m?l?kjul/
• Hyphenation: mol?e?cule

Noun

molecule (plural molecules or moleculae or moleculæ)

1. (chemistry) The smallest particle of a specific element or compound that retains the chemical properties of that element or compound; two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.
2. A tiny amount.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:molecule
• (small amount): see also Thesaurus:modicum.

Hyponyms

• macromolecule

Meronyms

• atom

Related terms

• molecular

Translations

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?mo?.l??ky.l?/
• Hyphenation: mo?le?cu?le

Noun

molecule n or f or m (plural moleculen or molecules, diminutive moleculetje n)

1. Alternative form of molecuul.

Friulian

Noun

molecule f (plural moleculis)

1. molecule

English

Etymology

From Late Middle English modicum, borrowed from Latin modicum (“a little, a small amount”), a noun use of the neuter form of modicus (“moderate; restrained, temperate; reasonable”) + -cum (suffix forming neuter nouns). Modicus is derived from modus (“a measure; a bound, limit”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *med- (“to measure”)) + -icus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives).

The plural form modica is derived from Latin modica.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m?d?k?m/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?m?d?k?m/, /-d?-/
• Hyphenation: mod?i?cum

Noun

modicum (plural modicums or (rare) modica)

1. A modest, small, or trifling amount.

   Synonyms: iota, jot, tittle; see also Thesaurus:modicum

   Antonyms: see Thesaurus:lot

Translations

References

Latin

Etymology

From modicus (“moderate, middling”)

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?mo.di.kum/, [?m?d??k???]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?mo.di.kum/, [?m??d?ikum]

Noun

modicum n (genitive modic?); second declension

1. a little, a small amount

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

Descendants

• English: modicum

Adjective

modicum

1. nominative neuter singular of modicus
2. accusative masculine singular of modicus
3. accusative neuter singular of modicus
4. vocative neuter singular of modicus

References

• modicum in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)