'atomise' originates from Greek (via Late Latin and French), specifically the Greek word 'atomos', where 'a-' meant 'not' and 'tomos' meant 'cut'.

'atomos' entered Late Latin and Medieval Latin forms and then Old/Middle French as 'atomiser'; the verb was borrowed into English as 'atomise' (and US spelling 'atomize') in the 17th century, developing from these earlier forms.

Initially it related to 'atomos' meaning 'indivisible' (the smallest, uncuttable particle); over time it came to mean 'to reduce into very small particles or to analyse into basic components', keeping the sense of very small parts but shifting from a noun describing particles to a verb describing the act of making or analysing them.