Illustration of micrometer
- micrometer 2
mi·crom·e·ter
mī-ˈkrä-mə-tər 
1
: an instrument used with a telescope or microscope for measuring minute distances
2
: a caliper for making precise measurements that has a spindle moved by a finely threaded screw
mi·cro·me·ter
ˈmī-krō-ˌmē-tər
: a unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter
called also micron
see Metric System TableExamples of micrometer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026
Each has been thinned down to tens of micrometers and is shot through with vertical connections.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Jan. 2026
However, until now, these materials could only be made up to about 200 micrometers thick, limited by how molecules move through the material during formation.
—Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 22 Nov. 2025
The worsening air quality is driven by excessive PM2.5, fine particulate matter up to 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which can often come from sources like power plants, industrial processes, vehicle emissions, woodstoves, and wildfires.
—Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for micrometer
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Noun
Human cells are extremely small and tightly packed – at about 20 micrometers across, roughly one-fifth the width of a human hair, each cell contains a dense mix of proteins, organelles, and molecular machinery.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026
Each has been thinned down to tens of micrometers and is shot through with vertical connections.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Jan. 2026
However, until now, these materials could only be made up to about 200 micrometers thick, limited by how molecules move through the material during formation.
—Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 22 Nov. 2025
The worsening air quality is driven by excessive PM2.5, fine particulate matter up to 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which can often come from sources like power plants, industrial processes, vehicle emissions, woodstoves, and wildfires.
—Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for micrometer
Cite this Entry
“Micrometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/micrometer. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
micrometer
1 of 2 noun
mi·crom·e·ter
mī-ˈkräm-ət-ər
1
: an instrument used with a telescope or microscope for measuring very small distances
micrometry
noun
-ˈkräm-ə-trē
micrometer
2 of 2 noun
mi·cro·me·ter
ˈmī-krō-ˌmēt-ər
: a unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter
Medical Definition
micrometer
1 of 2 noun
mi·crom·e·ter
mī-ˈkräm-ət-ər
: an instrument used with a telescope or microscope for measuring minute distances
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