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.