What does "particulate" mean?
Any solid or liquid in a subdivided state, especially one that exhibits special characteristics which are negligible in the bulk material.
Particulate
/pɑɹˈtɪk.jə.lət/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any solid or liquid in a subdivided state, especially one that exhibits special characteristics which are negligible in the bulk material.
- Grammar: particulate is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: aerosol, atomistic perspective, bit, dust.
- Useful contrasts: nonparticulate, bulk, clean air.
- Usage evidence: Some cruise ships emit as much particulate matter as 1m cars.
How to use "particulate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "particulate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "particulate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "particulate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "particulate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "particulate" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "aerosol" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "particulate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any solid or liquid in a subdivided state, especially one that exhibits special characteristics which are negligible in the bulk material. in-plural
"Particulates in engine oil can abrade moving parts."
- 2 a small discrete mass of solid or liquid matter that remains individually dispersed in gas or liquid emissions (usually considered to be an atmospheric pollutant) wordnet
Verb
- 1 To reduce to particles, make particulate. transitive
"Only after the explosion has particulated the poison and given it every opportunity to vaporize can any appreciable concentration of gas be present in the air."
- 2 Synonym of particularize. ambitransitive, obsolete
"And I am bolde (contrary to the cuſtome of ſome vvriters) to leaue to particulate in my Epiſtle any part of the argument vvhich vvith ſo great grauitie he hath digeſted ar large in ſo great a volume: […]"
Adjective
- 1 Composed of separate particles.
"particulate air pollution"
- 2 Pertaining to heritable characteristics which are attributable discretely to either one or another of an offspring's parents, rather than a blend of the two.
"The rudiments of particulate inheritance were dimly understood already by the breeders of cattle and apples, but nobody was being systematic."
Adjective
- 1 composed of distinct particles wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"Some cruise ships emit as much particulate matter as 1m cars."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "particulate"?
Common synonyms include: aerosol, atomistic perspective, bit, dust, dustlike, fragment.
How do you use "particulate" in a sentence?
Some cruise ships emit as much particulate matter as 1m cars.
How do you pronounce "particulate"?
Pronounced /pɑɹˈtɪk.jə.lət/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From New Latin particulātus (“divided into small parts”) (also particulāta (“small parts”), from its neuter plural), from Classical Latin particula (“particle”), from pars (“part, piece”) + -cula (diminutive suffix), + -ātus (-ate). The verb is probably independently from the adjective rather than from Etymology 2.
Etymology 2
From Latin particulāt-, past participial stem (compare the verbal suffix -ate) of particulō (“to particularize”), from particula (“particle”) + -ō (verbal suffix).