| particle |
| Definition:
(1) A minor part of speech, especially a short one that can't be inflected, such as a preposition. (2) A common prefix or suffix (e.g., un and ful). |
| Example:
(1) not (the negative particle) (2) to (the infinitival particle) (3) do, don't, let, let's (the imperative particles — as in Let's go! and Don't tell me!). |
| Etymology: The word derives from the Latin particula, little bit or part. |
| Oxford English Dictionary: The word's first OED citation in its grammatical sense is from 1533: "Compowned with theym selfes, they sygnifye as moche as if they were compowned with this partycle cumque, as quisquis, i. quicunque." (Udall, Flowres, 107) |