microscope

noun mi·cro·scope \ ˈmī-krə-ˌskōp \

Definition of microscope

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

See microscope defined for English-language learners

See microscope defined for kids

Examples of microscope in a Sentence

Students viewed the crystals through a microscope.

Recent Examples of microscope from the Web

And for celebrities with fans and paparazzi putting every picture under a microscope, all that stress has to be at least fifty-fold.

— rachel nussbaum, Glamour, "Gabrielle Union Just Celebrated Her Freckled Skin With a No-Makeup Selfie," 30 Aug. 2017
Polarizing microscopes and high-resolution digital images reveal textures, weaves, and threads invisible to the naked eye.

— kimberly chrisman-campbell, The Atlantic, "Confessions of a Costume Curator," 18 Aug. 2017
The Bears’ two new quarterbacks, Mitchell Trubisky (10) and Mike Glennon, have been under the microscope at training camp.

— albert breer, SI.com, "NFL Quarterback Trend: Over-the-Top Investment," 3 Aug. 2017
A look under the microscope showed that fibrils bind to sperm cells, immobilizing them.

— giorgia guglielmi, Science | AAAS, "Protein tangles behind Alzheimer’s disease may be critical for human reproduction," 11 July 2017
Just as the microscope revealed the cell, these researchers are crafting tools that will allow insight into the how neural networks make decisions.

— paul voosen, Science | AAAS, "How AI detectives are cracking open the black box of deep learning," 6 July 2017
The accommodate those surgeries, the hospital opened a larger operating suite in January, equipped with robotic cameras, brain navigation devices, three-dimensional visualization and high-field microscopes, the hospital said.

— bob warren, NOLA.com, "Neuroscience unit opens at St. Tammany Parish Hospital," 6 July 2017
The issue has been under the microscope for three decades.

— CBS News, "Patient safety concerns over new 24-hour shift rule for first-year doctors," 29 June 2017
An Israeli journalist puts the life of Benjamin Netanyahu, now in his fourth term as prime minister of Israel, under the microscope.

— david martindale, star-telegram, "What you’re going to be reading this summer," 26 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of microscope

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1648

See Words from the same year

MICROSCOPE Defined for English Language Learners

microscope

noun

Definition of microscope for English Language Learners

: a device used for producing a much larger view of very small objects so that they can be seen clearly

MICROSCOPE Defined for Kids

microscope

noun mi·cro·scope \ ˈmī-krə-ˌskōp \

Definition of microscope for Students

:an instrument with one or more lenses used to help a person to see something very small by making it appear larger

Medical Dictionary

microscope

noun mi·cro·scope \ ˈmī-krə-ˌskōp \

medical Definition of microscope

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