microscopic

mi·cro·scop·ic

adjective \ˌmī-krə-ˈskä-pik\

Definition of MICROSCOPIC

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

— mi·cro·scop·i·cal·ly \-pi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Variants of MICROSCOPIC

mi·cro·scop·ic also mi·cro·scop·i·cal \-pi-kəl\

Examples of MICROSCOPIC

1. At this point, the embryo is a microscopic clump of only 100 cells.
2. There is a microscopic crack in the diamond.
3. He has a microscopic attention span.
4. He recorded every aspect of his trip in microscopic detail.
5. a microscopic study of plant tissues

First Known Use of MICROSCOPIC

circa 1672

Related to MICROSCOPIC

Synonyms

atomic, bitsy, bitty, infinitesimal, itty-bitty (or itsy-bitsy), little bitty, microminiature, tiny (also microscopical), miniature, minuscule, minute, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny, teeny-weeny, wee, weeny (also weensy)

Antonyms

astronomical (also astronomic), colossal, cosmic (also cosmical), elephantine, enormous, giant, gigantic, herculean, heroic (also heroical), huge, immense, mammoth, massive, monster, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, planetary, prodigious, titanic, tremendous

Related Words

baby, diminutive, dwarf, elfin, half-pint, Lilliputian, little, micro, mini, minikin, model, petite, pocket, pocket-size (also pocket-sized), pygmy, small, smallish; dinky, dwarfish, insignificant, pint-size (or pint-sized), puny, scrubby, undersized (also undersize)

Near Antonyms

big, bulky, bumper, considerable, extensive, good, goodly, grand, great, gross, handsome, hefty, hulking, jumbo, king-size (or king-sized), large, largish, major, outsize (also outsized), overgrown, overscale (or overscaled), oversize (or oversized), sizable (or sizeable), substantial, super, whacking, whopping; formidable, grandiose, imposing, lofty, majestic, monolithic, staggering, stupendous, towering; boundless, cavernous, immeasurable, infinite, vast, vasty, voluminous

Other Microbiology Terms

pathogen, salmonella, tetanus

Rhymes with MICROSCOPIC

arthroscopic, cryoscopic, endoscopic, Ethiopic, fluoroscopic, gastroscopic, gyroscopic, hygroscopic, isotopic, lycanthropic, macroscopic, misanthropic, periscopic, philanthropic, stroboscopic, telescopic

mi·cro·scop·ic

adjective \ˌmī-krə-ˈskäp-ik\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of MICROSCOPIC

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 1

—mi·cro·scopi·cal·ly \-i-k(ə-)lē\ (audio pronunciation) adverb

Variants of MICROSCOPIC

mi·cro·scop·ic or mi·cro·scop·i·cal \-i-kəl\ (audio pronunciation)