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
IEEE Spectrum, 22 Sep. 2025
The future medical devices could be made with gears as small as 16 to 20 micrometers — a size comparable to a human cell.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025
According to, IQAir, Boise’s air has particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 22 Aug. 2025
At micrometers across — 10,000 times larger than individual atoms — Dynabeads are vastly more easily controlled and observed.
—Patchen Barss, Quanta Magazine, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for micrometer
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Noun
Then tiny balls of solder, some only tens of micrometers across, are attached to the chips.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Sep. 2025
The future medical devices could be made with gears as small as 16 to 20 micrometers — a size comparable to a human cell.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025
According to, IQAir, Boise’s air has particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 22 Aug. 2025
At micrometers across — 10,000 times larger than individual atoms — Dynabeads are vastly more easily controlled and observed.
—Patchen Barss, Quanta Magazine, 18 Aug. 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 3 Oct. 2025.
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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