microscopic

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌmaɪ.kɹəˈskɑ.pɪk/ UK /ˌmaɪ.kɹəˈskɒp.ɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #15221

Meanings

1

adj
So small that it can only be seen with a microscope.

The water was full of microscopic organisms.
2

adj
Extremely small; tiny.

Compared to the galaxy, we are microscopic in scale.
3

adj
Done with very close attention to the smallest details.

The police carried out a microscopic search of the crime scene.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · so small that it can only... microscopical

Opposites

gross macroscopic

Word family

Derived forms amicroscopicbiomicroscopiccopromicroscopiccryomicroscopicelectromicroscopicendomicroscopicfluoromicroscopicimmunomicroscopicmicromorphmicromorphicmicroscopicalmicroscopically

Related forms macroscopic microscopenaked-eyetelescopic

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

microscopic anatomy
the study of bodily structures too small to examine clearly without magnification

Adjective + noun

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)…

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# microscopic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌmaɪ.kɹəˈskɑ.pɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌmaɪ.kɹəˈskɒp.ɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 15221

## Meanings
1. So small that it can only be seen with a microscope.
2. Extremely small; tiny.
3. Done with very close attention to the smallest details.

## Examples
- The water was full of microscopic organisms.
- Compared to the galaxy, we are microscopic in scale.
- The police carried out a microscopic search of the crime scene.

## Antonyms
- gross
- macroscopic

## Derived Forms
- amicroscopic
- biomicroscopic
- copromicroscopic
- cryomicroscopic
- electromicroscopic
- endomicroscopic
- fluoromicroscopic
- immunomicroscopic
- micromorph
- micromorphic
- microscopical
- microscopically

## Related Forms
- macroscopic
- microscope
- naked-eye
- telescopic

## 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
Microscopic belongs to the same micro- and -scopic family: Ancient Greek μῑκρός (mīkrós) supplies the smallness element, while the seeing element is represented by Proto-Indo-European *speḱ-, Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai), and Ancient Greek σκοπός (skopós). In present-day English it means so small that it can only be seen with a microscope, extremely small, or examined with minute attention. Related and derived forms include macroscopic, microscope, naked-eye, and amicroscopic.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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