microscopic
adjective
Simple meaning
Very small; minute.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
mykruhskahpikSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
maɪkɹəsˈkɑpɪk
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
So small that it can only be seen with the aid of a microscope.
Very small; minute
Of, or relating to microscopes or microscopy; microscopal
Able to see extremely minute objects.
figurative
Carried out with great attention to detail.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: So small that it can only be seen with the aid of a microscope.
Used this way, microscopic is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It stays understated rather than dramatic. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Mild
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use microscopic
- “Microscopic analysis.”adjective
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?
Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
Small in size.
Only visible by means of a microscope.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Research with the use of microscopes.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
The study of microscopic structures of tissues and organs.
The areas that is visible through a microscope.
Of or relating to or involving an electron microscope.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
A small flat rectangular piece of glass on which specimens can be mounted for microscopic study.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.