nano-
[SI the next quantifier below
micro-; meaning *
10^(-9)] pref. Smaller than
micro-, and used in the same rather
loose and connotative way. Thus, one has
{nanotechnology}
(coined by hacker K. Eric Drexler) by analogy with
`microtechnology'; and a few machine architectures have a
`nanocode' level below `microcode'. Tom Duff at Bell Labs has
also pointed out that "Pi seconds is a nanocentury".
See also
{quantifiers},
pico-,
nanoacre,
nanobot,
nanocomputer,
nanofortnight.
