Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Too small to be seen by the unaided eye but large enough to be studied under a microscope.
  • adjective Of, relating to, or concerned with a microscope.
  • adjective Exceedingly small; minute.
  • adjective Characterized by or done with extreme attention to detail.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Pertaining to a microscope, or having its character or function; adapted to the purposes of a microscope, or to the inspection of minute objects: as, a microscopic lens, eyepiece, or stand; microscopic sight or vision.
  • Of minute size; so small as to be invisible or indistinct to the naked eye; adapted to or prepared for examination by the miscroseope: as, microscopic creatures or particles; a microscopic object.
  • Made or effected by or as if by the aid of a microscope; hence, relating to things of minute size or significance; infinitesimal; petty: as, microscopic observations or investigations; microscopic criticism.
  • Characteristic of the microscope or its use : as, to observe anything with microscopic minuteness; microscopic definition of an object.
  • Employing or working with a microscope, or as if with a microscope.
  • Also microscopical.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to the microscope or to microscopy; made with a microscope.
  • adjective Able to see extremely minute objects.
  • adjective Very small.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective of, or relating to microscopes or microscopy; microscopal
  • adjective so small that it can only be seen using a microscope
  • adjective very small; minute
  • adjective carried out with great attention to detail
  • adjective Able to see extremely minute objects.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective extremely precise with great attention to details
  • adjective of or relating to or used in microscopy
  • adjective visible under a microscope; using a microscope
  • adjective so small as to be invisible without a microscope

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[microscope + –ic.]

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Examples

  • In the animal kingdom (and this knowledge is also the result of Ehrenberg's discoveries), the form which we term microscopic occupy the largest space, in consequence of their rapid propagation.

    COSMOS: A Sketch of the Physical Description of the Universe, Vol. 1 Alexander von Humboldt 1814

  • By then Marx had already retreated into what he called the "microscopic world" of grandchildren and family life.

    At Home With Karl Marx Jennifer Siegel 2011

  • Mr Roberts told jurors the prosecution case against his client had an "Achilles heel", which he described as a "microscopic viewpoint" and "tunnel vision" about forensic evidence.

    BBC News - Home 2011

  • With a few exceptions, anhydrobiosis is normally seen in microscopic animals.

    We are going to freeze dry you all! AYDIN 2009

  • Wired Science rounds up the winners of the past 35 years 'worth of Nikon prizes for excellence in microscopic photography.

    Boing Boing 2009

  • The rise has caused marine life changes, increases in microscopic animals and plants.

    Country diary: The Burren Sarah Poyntz 2010

  • And, I have never had the desire to delve in microscopic depth into the chemistry of wine.

    Evan Dawson 2009

  • With a few exceptions, anhydrobiosis is normally seen in microscopic animals.

    Archive 2009-09-01 AYDIN 2009

  • - Sometimes change happens in microscopic increments, and often goes undetected by the human eye.

    Things I’ve Learned Update « Lntaylor’s Weblog 2009

  • And, I have never had the desire to delve in microscopic depth into the chemistry of wine.

    The New York Cork Report: 2009

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