microscopic
adjective
mi·cro·scop·ic
ˌmī-krə-ˈskä-pik 
variants
or less commonly microscopical
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
Examples of microscopic in a Sentence
At this point, the embryo is a microscopic clump of only 100 cells.
There is a microscopic crack in the diamond.
He has a microscopic attention span.
He recorded every aspect of his trip in microscopic detail.
a microscopic study of plant tissues
Recent Examples on the Web
The microscopic crew consisted of the fungus Penicillium simplicissimum and the bacterium Sphingomonas desiccabilis.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Feb. 2026
The vision was not just telescopic, but microscopic.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
As a surgeon, Truitt performs Mohs microscopic surgery, which has a higher cure rate for treating skin cancer, incorporating a precise method of removing cancerous tissue while conserving the surrounding healthy skin.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Though there was no evidence the Moon harbored microscopic life, there was the possibility, however slim, that the crew might encounter a pathogen for which their immune system was unprepared.
—Jorge Garay, Wired News, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for microscopic
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Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Feb. 2026
The vision was not just telescopic, but microscopic.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
As a surgeon, Truitt performs Mohs microscopic surgery, which has a higher cure rate for treating skin cancer, incorporating a precise method of removing cancerous tissue while conserving the surrounding healthy skin.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Though there was no evidence the Moon harbored microscopic life, there was the possibility, however slim, that the crew might encounter a pathogen for which their immune system was unprepared.
—Jorge Garay, Wired News, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for microscopic
Cite this Entry
“Microscopic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microscopic. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
microscopic
adjective
mi·cro·scop·ic
ˌmī-krə-ˈskäp-ik
variants
also microscopical
1
: of, relating to, or conducted with the microscope or microscopy
a microscopic examination
2
: resembling a microscope : able to see very tiny objects
some insects have microscopic vision
3
: able to be seen only through a microscope : very small
a microscopic plant
Medical Definition
microscopic
adjective
mi·cro·scop·ic
ˌmī-krə-ˈskäp-ik
variants
or microscopical
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 sense 1
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