microscopic
/ˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌmaɪkrəˈskɑːpɪk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌmī-krə-ˈskä-pik/ (ame, mw)
microscopic — adjective
- microscopicpositive
- more microscopiccomparative
- most microscopicsuperlative
1. so tiny that you can see it only by looking through a microscope
so tiny that you can see it only by looking through a microscope
Doctors found microscopic blood cells in the sample from Amani's lungs.
microscopic + blood cells in a sample
The leaf was covered with microscopic hairs that glowed under blue light.
Even after cleaning, microscopic grains of sand stayed inside Isabela's watch.
Scientists photographed microscopic worms moving through a drop of pond water.
- visible
able to be seen without special magnification
- macroscopic
technical opposite for something visible to the naked eye
文法句型
microscopic + cells / organisms / particles
microscopic + crack / damage
用法筆記
Used for cells, organisms, cracks, and other things that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense means a microscope is actually needed, not just that something is very small.
2. so small in size or amount that it seems almost too little to notice
so small in size or amount that it seems almost too little to notice
A microscopic tear in the glove let cold air reach Vikram's fingers.
a microscopic tear in + clothing
Sales rose by a microscopic amount, so Bao changed nothing.
by a microscopic amount
There was only a microscopic gap between the door and the floor.
The budget cut looked microscopic beside the hospital's yearly costs.
- tiny
more general and common in everyday speech
- minuscule
often emphasizes extreme smallness in formal writing
- negligible
focuses on small importance or effect, not just size
- huge
very large in size or amount
- substantial
large enough to matter clearly
文法句型
a microscopic + amount / gap / tear
look / seem + microscopic
用法筆記
Often used for amounts, changes, marks, or openings to stress that they are almost negligible. Unlike sense 1, it can be used figuratively and does not suggest laboratory viewing.
3. connected with looking at things through a microscope or studying them that way
connected with looking at things through a microscope or studying them that way
The lab sent Asher a microscopic image of the damaged nerve tissue.
microscopic image
Pedro's thesis includes a microscopic study of pollen from mountain flowers.
microscopic study of + subject
Engineers requested microscopic examination before approving the cracked metal part.
The museum keeps microscopic slides in a separate cabinet beside Hamza's desk.
- microscopical
older or less common variant in formal scientific writing
- micro-level
broader and not always tied to actual microscope work
- macroscopic
describes observation at normal visible scale
- naked-eye
describes viewing without magnifying equipment
文法句型
microscopic + image / study / examination
microscopic + slide / analysis
用法筆記
Usually comes before nouns such as image, study, examination, or slide. Unlike sense 1, it describes the method or the material used in that method, not the size of the thing itself.