Microscopic

Microscopic

Microscopic is a term used to describe objects smaller than those that can easily be seen by the naked eye and which require a lens or microscope to see them clearly. By convention it is also used to describe classes of objects which are most commonly too small to see but of which some members are large enough to be observed with the eye. Such groups include the "Cladocera", planktonic green algae of which "Volvox" is readily observable, and the protozoa of which "Stentor" can be easily seen without aid.

Microscopic is also by association used to classify and describe the units and measurements relevant to very small objects. The antonym to microscopic is macroscopic

The units used to describe objects on a microscopic length scale are most commonly the Micrometer (µm) - one millionth of 1 metre, and smaller units.

Microscopic is also commonly used as a hyperbole in the English language to describe small objects of a class that would be expected to be bigger - as in "Her feet are microscopic!"


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  • microscopic — MICROSCÓPIC, Ă, microscopici, ce, adj. l. Care nu se poate vedea sau cerceta decât cu miscroscopul. 2. Care aparţine microscopului, privitor la microscop. 3. fig. Foarte mic, minuscul; p. ext. fără valoare, neînsemnat. – Din fr. microscopique.… …   Dicționar Român

  • Microscopic — Mi cro*scop ic, Microscopical Mi cro*scop ic*al, a. [Cf. F. microscopique.] [1913 Webster] 1. Of or pertaining to the microscope or to microscopy; made with a microscope; as, microscopic observation. [1913 Webster] 2. Able to see extremely minute …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Microscopic (EP) — Microscopic EP by Download Released January 9, 1996 Recorded May 1995 July 1995 …   Wikipedia

  • Microscopic — Microscopic. См. Микроскопический. (Источник: «Металлы и сплавы. Справочник.» Под редакцией Ю.П. Солнцева; НПО Профессионал , НПО Мир и семья ; Санкт Петербург, 2003 г.) …   Словарь металлургических терминов

  • microscopic — index impalpable Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • microscopic — (adj.) 1732, like a microscope; see MICROSCOPE (Cf. microscope) + IC (Cf. ic). Meaning of minute size is from 1760s. Related: Microscopical; microscopically …   Etymology dictionary

  • microscopic — minute, *small, little, diminutive, miniature, petite, wee, tiny, teeny, weeny …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • microscopic — [adj] tiny, almost undetectable atomic, diminutive, imperceptible, infinitesimal, invisible, little, minuscule, minute, negligible, teeny*, wee*; concepts 773,789 Ant. big, huge, large, macroscopic …   New thesaurus

  • microscopic — ► ADJECTIVE 1) so small as to be visible only with a microscope. 2) informal very small. 3) relating to a microscope. DERIVATIVES microscopically adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • microscopic — [mī΄krə skäp′ik] adj. 1. so small as to be invisible or obscure except through a microscope; extremely small; minute 2. of, with, or as if with a microscope 3. like or suggestive of a microscope; searching; minutely observing: Also microscopical… …   English World dictionary

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