nano-

pref. [SI: the next quantifier below micro- ; meaning  10 -9 ] 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.

