microscopic
Americanadjective
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so small as to be invisible or indistinct without the use of the microscope.
microscopic organisms.
-
very small; tiny.
-
of, relating to, or involving a microscope.
microscopic investigation.
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very detailed; meticulous.
a microscopic view of society.
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suggestive of the precise use of the microscope; minute.
microscopic exactness.
adjective
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not large enough to be seen with the naked eye but visible under a microscope Compare macroscopic
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very small; minute
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of, concerned with, or using a microscope
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characterized by or done with great attention to detail
Other Word Forms
- microscopically adverb
- nonmicroscopic adjective
- nonmicroscopical adjective
- nonmicroscopically adverb
- unmicroscopic adjective
- unmicroscopically adverb
Etymology
Origin of microscopic
First recorded in 1670–80; microscope + -ic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This approach works by forming microscopic bubbles that collapse and briefly raise the temperature, helping break down the shells.
From Science Daily
They do not depend on the material's composition, shape or microscopic imperfections.
From Science Daily
Modern sponges contain skeletons made of countless microscopic, glass-like structures called spicules.
From Science Daily
That iron would fuel blooms of microscopic algae, which absorb heat trapping carbon dioxide as they grow.
From Science Daily
Researchers will look at whether microscopic soil organisms could help tree survival consistently across sites.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
