micro

adjective mi·cro \ ˈmī-(ˌ)krō \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of micro

1 : very small; especially : microscopic

2 : involving minute quantities or variations

Recent Examples of micro from the Web

Its offerings include micro-core and coreless toilet paper, roll towels, folded towels, napkins and toilet seat covers.

— katherine feser, Houston Chronicle, "Austin paper products company doubling down in Houston," 12 Apr. 2018
The charger comes with a USB to micro-USB cord for charging, and is available in six fun colors.

— kari bodnarchuk, BostonGlobe.com, "Here, there, and everywhere," 11 Apr. 2018
On a micro level, some of these races this year could hinge on what Trump does to local farming economies, such as Montana’s.

— philip elliott, Time, "Why Trump's Trade War Could Cost Republicans the House," 6 Apr. 2018
By Alex Molnar and Faith Boninger Revelations that the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica used the personal data of millions of Facebook users to micro-target American voters has resulted in widespread public outrage.

— valerie strauss, Washington Post, "Facebook and the very real problem of keeping student data private," 5 Apr. 2018
Bigger isn’t necessarily better at micro-hotels, the teeny-tiny trendy spaces for travelers looking to save.

— aubrey nagle, Philly.com, "Kensington talks safe injection sites, new census question could impact Pa., N.J. | Morning Newsletter," 28 Mar. 2018
Reach for matching sets with a nautical slant, micro prints and metallic footwear over monochrome.

— amber elliott, Houston Chronicle, "Kids' trend-forward Easter styles rival Mom and Dad's," 28 Mar. 2018
The active ingredient is baked into tiny micro-needles that open pathways into your skin for better product penetration.

— jane larkworthy, The Cut, "The Entrepreneur Who’s Constantly Reinventing the Beauty Game," 28 Mar. 2018
Those estimates are about 760 μatm (short for micro-atmospheres) pCO2, compared to today’s 380 μatm pCO2).

— diana gitig, Ars Technica, "Herring could actually benefit from ocean acidification," 25 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'micro.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of micro

micr-

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1923

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

alkali, cation, decant, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

micro

noun

Definition of micro

plural micros

1 : microcomputer

2 : microprocessor

Recent Examples of micro from the Web

Does Facebook incorporate any data about moods or psychological states into its micro-targeting criteria?

— robinson meyer, The Atlantic, "The 3 Questions Mark Zuckerberg Hasn’t Answered," 11 Apr. 2018
Part of the wish fulfillment of Jessica Jones is that Jessica does not censor herself, does not brush things aside, does not smile through the daily micro-aggressions that most women must.

— emma dibdin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Krysten Ritter Is the Face of Female Vengeance," 21 Mar. 2018
While most stars chose floor-sweeping gowns for the afterparty scene, Berry went for a Zuhair Murad micro-mini dress which showed off her fit frame.

— brittany talarico, PEOPLE.com, "Halle Berry Skips Floor-Length Gown for Mini Dress Moment at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party," 5 Mar. 2018
Maybe the standout look in the show, next to those smart shirts, was a brown micro-check coat with a crisp saddle-brown leather collar.

— cathy horyn, The Cut, "The Case for Apolitical Fashion," 3 Mar. 2018
Yes, though there’s a great violence done to the children of the monarchy, and particularly in this age of 24-hour micro-inspection.

— mary kaye schilling, Newsweek, "Martin Amis Takes Aim at Donald Trump, Questions Stormy Daniels and Celebrates Meghan Markle," 5 Feb. 2018
Some businesses give the micro-influencer a product or discounts as payment.

— tamara e. holmes, USA TODAY, "Micro-influencers: How small businesses sidestep traditional advertising to grow sales," 29 Mar. 2018
The $3 million project doubled the size of the park at Maynard Avenue South and South King Street, adding a new performance space with seating and micro-stages.

— daniel beekman, The Seattle Times, "Saturday event will celebrate expansion of Hing Hay Park in Seattle," 23 Mar. 2018
Advertisement Of course, this isn't the first time micro bangs have been in the spotlight — in fact, they've been seen throughout pop culture for decades, and have been styled by some of the coolest women both IRL and on screen.

— georgia murray, refinery29.com, "How To Make This Throwback Hair Trend Work For You," 15 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of micro

1971

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Computer-Related Terms

adware, flash, kludge, phishing, recursive, router

Medical Dictionary

micro

adjective mi·cro \ ˈmī-(ˌ)krō \

medical Definition of micro

1 : very small; especially : microscopic

2 involving minute quantities or variations

Learn More about micro

Spanish Central: Translation of micro Britannica English: Translation of micro for Arabic speakers

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micro

Definition of micro

Recent Examples of micro from the Web

Origin and Etymology of micro

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

micro

Definition of micro

Recent Examples of micro from the Web

First Known Use of micro

Other Computer-Related Terms

Medical Dictionary

micro

medical Definition of micro

Learn More about micro

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micro

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Origin and Etymology of micro

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micro

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