microscope

/ˌmaɪkrəˈskoʊp/

/ˈmaɪkrəskəʊp/

Other forms: microscopes

A microscope is a mechanical instrument that magnifies the image of small objects. You would use a microscope to look at something tiny, like an amoeba.

First used in the 1650s, microscope is descended from the Modern Latin microscopium, meaning "an instrument for viewing what is small." In science, microscopes are essential for examining material that can't be seen with the naked eye, like bacteria and viruses. In the same vein, you might feel like you're "under a microscope" if you're being very closely observed and scrutinized, like a star in the limelight or a politician in front of the media.

Definitions of microscope

1. noun

   magnifier of the image of small objects
   “the invention of the microscope led to the discovery of the cell”

   types:

   angioscope

   a modified microscope used to study capillary vessels

   electron microscope

   a microscope that is similar in purpose to a light microscope but achieves much greater resolving power by using a parallel beam of electrons to illuminate the object instead of a beam of light

   light microscope

   microscope consisting of an optical instrument that magnifies the image of an object

   binocular microscope

   a light microscope adapted to the use of both eyes

   compound microscope

   light microscope that has two converging lens systems: the objective and the eyepiece

   field-emission microscope

   electron microscope used to observe the surface structure of a solid

   hand glass, magnifying glass, simple microscope

   light microscope consisting of a single convex lens that is used to produce an enlarged image

   dark-field microscope, ultramicroscope

   light microscope that uses scattered light to show particles too small to see with ordinary microscopes

   type of:

   magnifier

   a scientific instrument that magnifies an image