atom (time)
{{Short description|Smallest possible unit of time in medieval philosophy}}
An atom of time or "a-tom" ("indivisible" in Greek), refers to the smallest possible unit of time.{{Cite web |title=ISO 80000-3:2006 |url=https://www.iso.org/fr/standard/31888.html |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=ISO |language=fr}}{{verify source|date=March 2023}}
History
One of the earliest occurrences of the word "atom" to mean the smallest possible unit of measuring time is found in the Greek text of the New Testament in Paul's {{Bibleverse|1 Corinthians|15:52|KJV}}. The text compares the length of time of the “atom” to the time needed for "the twinkling of an eye." The text reads: "{{Transliteration|grc|en atomo, en repe ophthamou}}" – the word "atom" is usually translated "a moment" — "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye". With that meaning, it was later referred to in Medieval philosophical writings as the smallest possible division of time. The earliest known occurrence in English is in Byrhtferth's Enchiridion (a science text) of 1010–1012,{{Cite encyclopedia |url=http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9438957 |title=Byrhtferth of Ramsey |date=2008 |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica}} Retrieved September 15, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online where it was defined as 1/564 of a momentum (1½ minutes),{{Cite encyclopedia |title=atom |encyclopedia=Oxford English Dictionary |date=September 2008}} Draft Revision. (contains relevant citations from Byrhtferth's Enchiridion) and thus equal to almost 160 milliseconds. It was used in the computus, the calculation used to determine the calendar date of Easter.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}