microscope

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈmaɪ.kɹəˌskoʊp/ UK /ˈmaɪ.kɹəˌskəʊp/ See IPA manual

noun verb Freq #12654

Meanings

1

noun
An instrument that makes very small objects look much bigger so they can be studied.

The students looked at the cells through a microscope.
2

verb
To examine something with a microscope.

The scientist microscoped the sample to look for bacteria.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to examine something with a... microscopize

Word family

Forms microscopes

Derived forms bimicroscopebiomicroscopecolpomicroscopecryomicroscopeelectromicroscopeendomicroscopefluoromicroscopemicroscopalmicroscopialmicroscopic microscopicalmicroscopist

Related forms telescope

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mey-der.? Ancient Greek μῑκρός (mīkrós) Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti Proto-Hellenic *sképťomai Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai) Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Hellenic *-ós ▲ Ancient Greek -ος (-os)influ. Ancient Greek -ός (-ós) Ancient Greek σκοπός (skopós) Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *-eyéti Proto-Indo-European *-esyéti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Ancient Greek -έω (-éō)…

*speḱ- Proto-Indo-European microscopium la-new microscopio Italian μικρός Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

# microscope

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** ˈmaɪ.kɹəˌskoʊp
**IPA (UK):** ˈmaɪ.kɹəˌskəʊp
**Frequency rank:** 12654

## Meanings
1. An instrument that makes very small objects look much bigger so they can be studied.
2. To examine something with a microscope.

## Examples
- The students looked at the cells through a microscope.
- The scientist microscoped the sample to look for bacteria.

## Derived Forms
- bimicroscope
- biomicroscope
- colpomicroscope
- cryomicroscope
- electromicroscope
- endomicroscope
- fluoromicroscope
- microscopal
- microscopial
- microscopic
- microscopical
- microscopist

## Related Forms
- telescope

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *speḱ-
- Root: microscopium
- Root: microscopio
- Root: μικρός
- Affix: micro- - small
- Affix: -scope - instrument for viewing

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mey-der.? Ancient Greek μῑκρός (mīkrós) Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti Proto-Hellenic *sképťomai Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai) Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Hellenic *-ós ▲ Ancient Greek -ος (-os)influ. Ancient Greek -ός (-ós) Ancient Greek σκοπός (skopós) Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *-eyéti Proto-Indo-European *-esyéti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Ancient Greek -έω (-éō)…

## AI Etymology
Microscope is a learned formation involving Ancient Greek μῑκρός (mīkrós) and the seeing or watching element represented by Proto-Indo-European *speḱ-, Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai), and Ancient Greek σκοπός (skopós). The later chain runs through New Latin microscopium and Italian microscopio, with Ancient Greek μικρός also recorded. In present-day English it names an instrument that makes very small objects look larger for study, and it can also be used as a verb for examining with such an instrument. Related and derived forms include telescope, bimicroscope, biomicroscope, and colpomicroscope.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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microscope

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