microscopic

adjective

mi·​cro·​scop·​ic ˌmī-krə-ˈskä-pik 

variants or less commonly microscopical

ˌmī-krə-ˈskä-pi-kəl 

1

: resembling a microscope especially in perception

2

a

: invisible or indistinguishable without the use of a microscope

b

: very small or fine or precise

3

: of, relating to, or conducted with the microscope or microscopy

microscopically

ˌmī-krə-ˈskä-pi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• atomic
• bitsy
• bitty
• infinitesimal
• itty-bitty
• itsy-bitsy
• little bitty
• microminiature
• miniature
• minuscule
• minute
• teensy
• teensy-weensy
• teeny
• teeny-weeny
• tiny
• wee
• weeny
• weensy

Examples of microscopic in a Sentence

At this point, the embryo is a microscopic clump of only 100 cells.

There is a microscopic crack in the diamond.

He has a microscopic attention span.

He recorded every aspect of his trip in microscopic detail.

a microscopic study of plant tissues

Recent Examples on the Web

Joining preservationists at Williamsburg, chemists at the paint company performed microscopic analysis on pinhead-sized samples to determine how various colors evolved over time, ultimately identifying 144 separate hues, all original to Colonial Williamsburg. —Cornelia Powers, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024

The results, published in the journal Scientific Reports, offer a detailed look at 30 unique coffee combinations on microscopic and chemical levels. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 11 Dec. 2024

Many readers of the Date Book may not get past a simple appreciation for these drawings, because reading the dialogue and captions that accompany the various comic strips, rendered in Ware’s microscopic lettering, is so very, very hard on the eyes. —Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

New observations of microscopic vortices confirm the existence of a paradoxical phase of matter that may also arise inside neutron stars. —Quanta Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1672, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

microscopic

adjective

mi·​cro·​scop·​ic ˌmī-krə-ˈskäp-ik 

variants also microscopical

-ˈskäp-i-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or conducted with the microscope or microscopy

a microscopic examination

2

: resembling a microscope : able to see very tiny objects

some insects have microscopic vision

3

: able to be seen only through a microscope : very small

a microscopic plant

microscopically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

microscopic

adjective

mi·​cro·​scop·​ic ˌmī-krə-ˈskäp-ik 

variants or microscopical

-i-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or conducted with the microscope or microscopy

2

: so small or fine as to be invisible or indistinguishable without the use of a microscope compare macroscopic, submicroscopic, ultramicroscopic sense 1

microscopically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb