microscope

noun

mi·​cro·​scope ˈmī-krə-ˌskōp How to pronounce microscope (audio)
1
: an optical instrument consisting of a lens or combination of lenses for making enlarged images of minute objects
especially : compound microscope
2
: a non-optical instrument (such as one using radiations other than light or using vibrations) for making enlarged images of minute objects
an acoustic microscope

Examples of microscope in a Sentence

Students viewed the crystals through a microscope.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Davido has lived his entire adult life in public, and has weathered celebration, scrutiny, controversy, warranted criticism, deserved accolades, and unimaginable loss under a microscope. — Ivie Ani, VIBE.com, 30 July 2026 Under a microscope, their hairlike cilia sweep the area outside the cell like wispy brooms, pulling bacteria into their mouths and pushing them around. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 27 July 2026 According to the scientists, the microscope bridges a long-standing gap between electron microscopy and powerful synchrotron X-ray facilities. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 July 2026 The Wolves also have an ownership group that includes Alex Rodriguez, one of the few people on the planet who can fully understand the microscope, the demands and the scrutiny that come with LeBron’s kind of star power. — David Aldridge, New York Times, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for microscope

Word History

Etymology

New Latin microscopium, from micr- + -scopium -scope

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of microscope was in 1648

Phrases Containing microscope

Rhymes for microscope

See All Rhymes for microscope

Browse Nearby Words

Microscolex
microscope
microscopic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Microscope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microscope. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

microscope

noun
mi·​cro·​scope ˈmī-krə-ˌskōp How to pronounce microscope (audio)
1
: an optical instrument consisting of a lens or a combination of lenses for making enlarged or magnified images of minute objects
2
: an instrument using radiation other than light for making enlarged images of very small objects

Medical Definition

microscope

noun
mi·​cro·​scope ˈmī-krə-ˌskōp How to pronounce microscope (audio)
1
: an optical instrument consisting of a lens or combination of lenses for making enlarged images of minute objects
especially : compound microscope see light microscope, phase-contrast microscope, polarizing microscope, reflecting microscope, ultraviolet microscope
2
: an instrument using radiations other than light or using vibrations for making enlarged images of minute objects
an acoustic microscope
see electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, x-ray microscope

More from Merriam-Webster on microscope

Nglish: Translation of microscope for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about microscope

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