To break something into extremely small particles or to reduce something to atoms or powder.
From atom (Greek atomos, indivisible particle) + -ize (to make or cause to be). First used in scientific contexts in the 18th century to describe breaking matter into its smallest components.
When you atomize something, you're literally trying to separate it into pieces so small they're almost like individual atoms—which is where the word gets its power. Ancient Greeks would have been amazed that we can actually do this with sound waves and compressed air!
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