The Wordsmith Dictionary

mi cro ar ray |ˈmīkrō -əˌrā ˌmaɪkroʊəˈreɪ | ▶noun a grid of DNA segments of known sequence that is used to test and map DNA fragments, antibodies, or proteins.

microbalance

mi cro bal ance |ˌmīkrōˈbaləns ˈmaɪkroʊbæləns | ▶noun a balance for weighing masses of a fraction of a gram.

microbe

microbiology

microbiota

mi cro bi o ta |ˌmīkrōˌbīˈōtə ˌmaɪkroʊˌbaɪˈoʊdə | ▶noun the microorganisms of a particular site, habitat, or geological period.

microblogging

mi cro blog ging |ˈmīkrōˌblägiNG ˈmʌɪkroʊˌblɑɡɪŋ | ▶noun the posting of very short entries or updates on a blog or social networking site, typically via a cellular phone. DERIVATIVES mi cro blog noun

microbrew

mi cro brew |ˈmīkrəˌbro͞o ˈmaɪkrəbru | ▶noun a type of beer produced in a microbrewery. ▶verb [ with obj. ] produce (beer ) in a microbrewery: the beer is microbrewed in Racine | (as adj. microbrewed ) : microbrewed beer. DERIVATIVES mi cro brew er noun

microbrewery

mi cro brew er y |ˌmīkrəˈbro͞oərē ˈˌmaɪkrəˈbruəri | ▶noun ( pl. microbreweries ) a limited-production brewery, typically producing specialty beers and often selling its products only locally.

microbrowser

mi cro brows er |ˈmīkrōˌbrouzər ˈmaɪkroʊbraʊzər | ▶noun Computing a small Internet browser for use with cellular phones and other handheld devices.

microburst

mi cro burst |ˈmīkrōˌbərst ˈmaɪkroʊbərst | ▶noun a sudden, powerful, localized air current, esp. a downdraft.

microcapsule

mi cro cap sule |ˌmīkrōˈkapsəl, -so͞ol ˈmaɪkroʊkæpsjul | ▶noun a small capsule used to contain drugs, dyes, or other substances and render them temporarily inactive.

microcar

mi cro car |ˈmīkrōˌkär ˈmaɪkroʊkɑr | ▶noun a small and fuel-efficient car.

microcellular

mi cro cel lu lar |ˌmīkrōˈselyələr ˌmaɪkroʊˈsɛljələr | ▶adjective containing or made up of minute cells. • (of a mobile telephone system ) having small cells, typically with a radius of less than half a mile.

microcephaly

microcheck

micro |check ▶noun [ usu. as modifier ] a pattern of very small squares.

microchemistry

mi cro chem is try |ˌmīkrōˈkeməstrē ˌmaɪkroʊˈkɛməstri | ▶noun the branch of chemistry concerned with the reactions and properties of substances in minute quantities, e.g., in living tissue.

microchip

mi cro chip |ˈmīkrōˌCHip ˈˌmaɪkroʊˈtʃɪp | ▶noun a tiny wafer of semiconducting material used to make an integrated circuit. ▶verb ( microchips, microchipping, microchipped ) [ with obj. ] implant a microchip under the skin of (a domestic animal ) as a means of identification.

Microchiroptera

Mi cro chi rop ter a |ˌmīkrōkəˈräptərə ˌmaɪkroʊkəˈrɑptərə |Zoology a major division of bats that comprises all but the fruit bats. [Suborder Microchiroptera, order Chiroptera: many families. ] DERIVATIVES mi cro chi rop ter an noun & adjective ORIGIN modern Latin (plural ), from micro- ‘small ’ + Greek kheir ‘hand ’ + pteron ‘wing. ’

microcinema

mi cro cin e ma |ˈmīkrōˌsinəmə ˈmaɪkroʊsɪnəmə | ▶noun a genre consisting of low-budget alternative or independent films and videos: she took a course in microcinema at the state college. • a small room or theater used to show such films and videos: the campus has three microcinemas.

microcircuit

mi cro cir cuit |ˈmīkrōˌsərkət ˈmaɪkroʊsərkət | ▶noun a minute electric circuit, esp. an integrated circuit. DERIVATIVES mi cro cir cuit ry |ˌmīkrōˈsərkətrē |noun

microcirculation

mi cro cir cu la tion |ˌmīkrōˌsərkyəˈlāSHən maɪkroʊˌsərkjəˈleɪʃən | ▶noun circulation of the blood in the smallest blood vessels. DERIVATIVES mi cro cir cu la to ry |-ˈsərkyələˌtôrē |adjective

microclimate

microcline

mi cro cline |ˈmīkrōˌklīn ˈmaɪkroʊklaɪn | ▶noun a green, pink, or brown crystalline mineral consisting of potassium-rich feldspar, characteristic of granite and pegmatites. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from German Microklin, from Greek mikros ‘small ’ + klinein ‘to lean ’ (because its angle of cleavage differs only slightly from 90 degrees ).

micrococcus

mi cro coc cus |ˌmīkrōˈkäkəs ˌmaɪkroʊkɑkəs | ▶noun ( pl. micrococci |-ˈkäkˌ (s )ī, -ˈkäk (s )ē | ) a spherical bacterium that is typically found on dead or decaying organic matter. Nonpathogenic forms are found on human and animal skin. [Family Micrococcaceae of Gram-positive nonmotile bacteria, in particular the genera Micrococcus and Staphylococcus. ] DERIVATIVES mi cro coc cal adjective

microcode

mi cro code |ˈmīkrəˌkōd ˈmaɪkroʊkoʊd | ▶noun Computing a very low-level instruction set that is stored permanently in a computer or peripheral controller and controls the operation of the device.

microcomputer

mi cro com pu ter |ˈmīkrōkəmˌpyo͞otər ˈˌmaɪkroʊkəmˈpjudər | ▶noun a small computer that contains a microprocessor as its central processor.

microcontinent

mi cro con ti nent |ˌmīkrōˈkäntn -ənt ˈmaɪkroʊˌkɑntənənt | ▶noun Geology an isolated fragment of continental crust forming part of a small crust plate.

microcontroller

micro |con ¦trol |ler ▶noun Computing a control device which incorporates a microprocessor.

microcopy

mi cro cop y |ˈmīkrōˌkäpē ˈmaɪkroʊkɑpi | ▶noun ( pl. microcopies ) a copy of printed matter that has been reduced in size by microphotography. ▶verb ( microcopies, microcopying, microcopied ) [ with obj. ] make a microcopy of.

microcosm

mi cro cosm |ˈmīkrəˌkäzəm ˈmaɪkroʊkɑːzəm |(also microcosmos |ˌmīkrəˈkäzməs, -mōs |) ▶noun a community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger: Berlin is a microcosm of Germany, in unity as in division. • humankind regarded as the epitome of the universe. PHRASES in microcosm in miniature. DERIVATIVES mi cro cos mic |ˌmīkrəˈkäzmik |adjective, mi cro cos mi cal ly |-ˈkäzmik (ə )lē |adverb ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French microcosme or medieval Latin microcosmus, from Greek mikros kosmos ‘little world. ’

microcosmic salt

mi cro cos mic salt |ˌmīkrəˈkäzmik ˌmaɪkrəˌkɑzmɪk ˈsɔlt | ▶noun Chemistry a white crystalline salt obtained from human urine. [Hydrated sodium ammonium hydrogen phosphate; chem. formula: HNaNH 4 PO 4 4H 2 O. ] ORIGIN late 18th cent.: translating Latin sal microcosmicus.

microcredit

mi cro cred it |ˈmīkrōˌkredit ˈmaɪkroʊkrɛdɪt | ▶noun the lending of small amounts of money at low interest to new businesses in the developing world. • such a loan considered individually: microcredits should not be considered a substitute for long-term investment in infrastructure.

microcrystalline

mi cro crys tal line |ˌmīkrōˈkristəlin, -ˌlīn, -ˌlēn ˌmaɪkroʊˈkrɪstələn | ▶adjective (of a material ) formed of microscopic crystals.

microcyte

mi cro cyte |ˈmīkrəˌsīt ˈmaɪkrəsaɪt | ▶noun Medicine an unusually small red blood cell, associated with certain anemias. DERIVATIVES mi cro cyt ic |ˌmīkrəˈsitik |adjective

microdensitometer

mi cro den si tom e ter |ˌmīkrōˌdensəˈtämətər ˌmaɪkroʊˌdɛntsəˈtɑmədər | ▶noun a densitometer for measuring the density of very small areas of a photographic image.

microdermabrasion

mi cro derm a bra sion |ˌmīkrōˌdərməˈbrāZHən ˌmaɪkroʊˌdərməˈbreɪʒən | ▶noun a cosmetic treatment in which the face is sprayed with exfoliant crystals to remove dead epidermal cells.

microdose

mi cro dose |ˈmīkrōˌdōs ˈmaɪkroʊdoʊs | ▶noun a dose of as little as one milligram of a drug that is intended to produce a beneficial result while avoiding undesirable side effects.

microdot

mi cro dot |ˈmīkrəˌdät ˈmaɪkroʊdɑːt | ▶noun 1 a microphotograph, esp. of a printed or written document, that is only about 0.04 inch (1 mm ) across. • [ usu. as modifier ] denoting a pattern of very small dots. 2 a tiny tablet or capsule (of LSD ): more than 1,000 microdots of LSD.

microeconomics

mi cro ec o nom ics |ˌmīkrōˌekəˈnämiks, -ˌēkə -ˌmaɪkroʊˌɛkəˈnɑmɪks | ▶plural noun [ treated as sing. ] the part of economics concerned with single factors and the effects of individual decisions. DERIVATIVES mi cro ec o nom ic adjective

microelectromechanical

mi cro e lec tro me chan i cal |ˌmīkrō -iˌlektrōməˈkanikəl ˈmaɪkroʊɪˌɛktroʊməˈkænɪkəl | ▶adjective denoting systems or components relating to microscopic electronic machines that are typically built on computer chips: optical true-time delay devices with microelectromechanical mirror arrays. DERIVATIVES mi cro e lec tro me chan ics noun

microelectronics

mi cro e lec tron ics |ˌmīkrōiˌlekˈträniks ˈˌmaɪkroʊəˈˌlɛkˈˌtrɑnɪks | ▶plural noun [ usu. treated as sing. ] the design, manufacture, and use of microchips and microcircuits. DERIVATIVES mi cro e lec tron ic adjective

microenterprise

mi cro en ter prise |ˌmīkrōˈentərprīz ˌmaɪkroʊˈɛntərpraɪz | ▶noun a business operating on a very small scale, esp. one with a sole proprietor and fewer than six employees.

microenvironment

mi cro en vi ron ment |ˌmīkrōinˈvīrə (n )mənt, -ˈvī (ə )r (n )mənt ˈmaɪkroʊənvaɪrənmənt | ▶noun Biology the immediate small-scale environment of an organism or a part of an organism, esp. as a distinct part of a larger environment. DERIVATIVES mi cro en vi ron men tal |-ˌvīrə (n )ˈmentl, -ˌvī (ə )r (n )- |adjective

microevolution

mi cro ev o lu tion |ˌmīkrō -evəˈlo͞oSHən, -ˌēvə -ˌmaɪkroʊˌɛvəˈluʃən | ▶noun Biology evolutionary change within a species or small group of organisms, esp. over a short period. DERIVATIVES mi cro ev o lu tion ar y |-ˈlo͞oSHəˌnerē |adjective

microfarad

mi cro far ad |ˈmīkrōˌfarəd, -ad ˈmaɪkroʊfɛræd | ▶noun one millionth of a farad. Symbol μ F.

microfauna

mi cro fau na |ˌmīkrōˈfônə, -ˈfänə ˈmaɪkroʊfɔnə | ▶noun ( pl. microfaunas or microfaunae |-ˈfônē, -ˈfänē | ) Biology microscopic animals. DERIVATIVES mi cro fau nal adjective

microfiber

mi cro fi ber |ˈmīkrōˌfībər ˈmaɪkroʊfaɪbər | ▶noun a very fine synthetic yarn.

microfibril

mi cro fi bril |ˌmīkrōˈfībrəl, -ˈfibrəl ˌmaɪkroʊˈfaɪbrəl | ▶noun Biology a small fibril in the cytoplasm or wall of a cell, visible only under an electron microscope, and typically aggregated into coarser fibrils or structures.

microfiche

mi cro fiche |ˈmīkrəˌfēSH ˈmaɪkroʊfiːʃ | ▶noun ( pl. same or microfiches ) a flat piece of film containing microphotographs of the pages of a newspaper, catalog, or other document: this new journal is available as a microfiche | the index will be made available on microfiche . ▶verb [ with obj. ] make a microfiche of (a newspaper, catalog, or other document ).

microfilament

mi cro fil a ment |ˌmīkrōˈfiləmənt ˌmaɪkroʊˈfɪləmənt | ▶noun Biology a small rodlike structure, about 4 –7 nanometers in diameter, present in numbers in the cytoplasm of many eukaryotic cells.

microfilaria

mi cro fi lar i a |ˌmīkrōfəˈle (ə )rēə ˌmaɪkroʊfəˈlɛriə | ▶noun ( pl. microfilariae |-fəˈle (ə )rēˌē, -ēˌī | ) Zoology the minute larva of a filaria.

microfilm

mi cro film |ˈmīkrəˌfilm ˈmaɪkroʊfɪlm | ▶noun a length of film containing microphotographs of a newspaper, catalog, or other document: all those forms go on microfilm | his vast hoard of microfilms. ▶verb [ with obj. ] make a microfilm of (a newspaper, catalog, or other document ).

microfinance

mi cro fi nance |ˌmīkrōˈfīnans ˌmaɪkroʊˈfaɪnæns ˈmaɪkroʊfaɪnæns | ▶noun another term for microcredit.

microflora

mi cro flo ra |ˌmīkrōˈflôrə ˈmaɪkroʊflɔrə | ▶noun ( pl. microfloras or microflorae |-ˈflôrē | ) Biology bacteria and microscopic algae and fungi, esp. those living in a particular site or habitat. DERIVATIVES mi cro flo ral adjective

microform

mi cro form |ˈmīkrəˌfôrm ˈmaɪkrəfɔrm | ▶noun microphotographic reproduction on film or paper of a manuscript, map, or other document.

microfossil

mi cro fos sil |ˈmīkrōˌfäsəl ˈmaɪkroʊfɑsəl | ▶noun a fossil or fossil fragment that can be seen only with a microscope.

microfungus

mi cro fun gus |ˌmīkrōˈfəNGgəs ˈmaɪkroʊfəŋɡəs | ▶noun ( pl. microfungi |-ˈfənˌjī, -ˌgī, -ˌjē, -ˌgē | ) Biology a fungus in which no sexual process has been observed or in which the reproductive organs are microscopic.

microgamete

mi cro gam ete |ˌmīkrōˈgamˌēt, -gəˈmēt ˌmaɪkroʊˈɡæmit | ▶noun Biology (esp. in protozoans ) the smaller of a pair of conjugating gametes, usually regarded as male.

microglia

mi crog li a |ˌmīkrəˈglēə, ˈglīə maɪˈkrɑɡliə | ▶plural noun Anatomy glial cells derived from mesoderm that function as macrophages (scavengers ) in the central nervous system and form part of the reticuloendothelial system. DERIVATIVES mi crog li al adjective

microgram

mi cro gram |ˈmīkrəˌgram ˈmaɪkroʊɡræm |(abbr.: mcg ) ▶noun one millionth of a gram. (Symbol: μg )

microgranite

micro |gran ¦ite ▶noun [ mass noun ] Geology granite that is recognizable as crystalline only under a microscope.

micrograph

microgravity

mi cro grav i ty |ˌmīkrōˈgravətē ˌmaɪkroʊˈɡrævədi | ▶noun very weak gravity, as in an orbiting spacecraft.

microgreens

mi cro greens |ˈmīkrōˌgrēnz ˈmaɪkroʊˌɡrinz | ▶plural noun the shoots of salad vegetables such as arugula, Swiss chard, mustard, beetroot, etc. , picked just after the first leaves have developed.

microgroove

mi cro groove |ˈmīkrəˌgro͞ov ˈmaɪkrəɡruv | ▶noun the very narrow groove on a long-playing phonograph record.

microhabitat

mi cro hab i tat |ˌmīkrōˈhabəˌtat ˌmaɪkroʊˈhæbətæt | ▶noun Ecology a habitat that is of small or limited extent and which differs in character from some surrounding more extensive habitat.

microinject

mi cro in ject |ˌmīkrō -inˈjekt ˌmaɪkroʊɪnˈʤɛkt | ▶verb [ with obj. ] Biology inject (something ) into a microscopic object. DERIVATIVES mi cro in jec tion |-ˈjekSHən |noun

microinstruction

mi cro in struc tion |ˌmīkrō -inˈstrəkSHən ˈˌmaɪkroʊɪnˈstrəkʃən | ▶noun Computing a single instruction in microcode.

microinvasive

mi cro in va sive |ˌmīkrōinˈvāsiv ˌmʌɪkroʊɪnˈveɪsɪv | ▶adjective 1 Pathology (of a cancerous growth ) invasive at a microscopic level. 2 Surgery denoting or relating to techniques and procedures that minimize the extent of surgical intervention.

microkernel

mi cro ker nel |ˈmīkrōˌkərnl ˈmaɪkroʊkərnl | ▶noun Computing a small modular part of an operating system kernel that implements its basic features.

microlending

mi cro lend ing |ˈmīkrōˌlendiNG ˈmaɪkroʊˌlɛndɪŋ | ▶noun another term for microcredit. DERIVATIVES mi cro lend er noun

microlepidoptera

mi cro lep i dop ter a |ˌmīkrōˌlepəˈdäptərə ˌmaɪkroʊˌlɛpəˈdɑptərə | ▶plural noun Entomology the numerous small moths. Compare with macrolepidoptera. ORIGIN modern Latin (plural ), from micro- ‘small ’ + Lepidoptera .

microlight

micro |light |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )lʌɪt | ▶noun chiefly Brit. a very small, light, one- or two-seater aircraft.

microliter

mi cro li ter |ˌmīkrōˈlētər ˈmaɪkroʊlitər |(Brit. also microlitre ) ▶noun one millionth of a liter. (Symbol: μl )

microlith

mi cro lith |ˈmīkrəˌliTH ˈmaɪkrəlɪθ | ▶noun Archaeology a minute shaped flint, typically part of a composite tool such as a spear. DERIVATIVES mi cro lith ic |ˌmikrəˈliTHik |adjective

micromanage

mi cro man age |ˌmīkrōˈmanij ˈmaɪkroʊmænɪʤ | ▶verb [ with obj. ] control every part, however small, of (an enterprise or activity ). DERIVATIVES mi cro man age ment |ˈmanijmənt |noun, mi cro man ag er noun

micromesh

micro |mesh |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )mɛʃ | ▶noun [ mass noun ] a material, typically nylon, consisting of a very fine mesh.

micrometeorite

mi cro me te or ite |ˌmīkrōˈmēteəˌrīt ˌmaɪkroʊˈmitɛraɪt | ▶noun a micrometeoroid that has entered the earth's atmosphere.

micrometeoroid

mi cro me te or oid |ˌmīkrōˈmēteəˌroid ˈmaɪkroʊˌˈmitɛərɔɪd | ▶noun a microscopic particle in space or of extraterrestrial origin that is small enough so that if it enters the earth's atmosphere, it will not burn up but drift to the earth's surface instead.

micrometeorology

mi cro me te or ol o gy |ˌmīkrōˌmētēəˈräləjē ˌmaɪkroʊˌmitiəˈrɑləʤi | ▶noun the branch of meteorology concerned with small areas and with small-scale meteorological phenomena. DERIVATIVES mi cro me te or o log i cal |-ˌmētēərəˈläjikəl |adjective

micrometer

mi crom e ter 1 |mīˈkrämətər maɪˈkrɑːmɪtər |(also micrometer caliper ) ▶noun a gauge that measures small distances or thicknesses between its two faces, one of which can be moved away from or toward the other by turning a screw with a fine thread. DERIVATIVES mi crom e try |-ətrē |noun

micrometer

mi cro me ter 2 |ˈmīkrōˈmētər ˈmaɪkroʊmɪtər |(abbr.: μm ) ▶noun one millionth of a meter.

micrometre

mi crom e tre ▶noun British spelling of micrometer 2.

microminiaturization

mi cro min i a tur i za tion |ˌmīkrōˌminēəCHəriˈzāSHən, -ˌminiCHər -ˈˌmaɪkroʊˌmɪnɪtʃərəˈzeɪʃən | ▶noun the manufacture of extremely small versions of electronic devices. DERIVATIVES mi cro min i a tur ize |-ˈminēəCHəˌrīz, -ˌminiCHə - |verb

micron

mi cron |ˈmīˌkrän ˈmaɪˌkrɑn | ▶noun a unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter, used in many technological and scientific fields. ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from Greek mikron, neuter of mikros ‘small. ’

Micronesia

Mi cro ne sia |ˌmīkrəˈnēZHə ˌmaɪkrəˈniʒə | 1 a region of the western Pacific Ocean, north of Melanesia and north and west of Polynesia. It includes the Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall island groups and Kiribati. 2 a country in the western Pacific Ocean, north of the equator, composed of hundreds of islands in the Caroline Islands group; pop. 107,400 (est. 2009 ); capital, Palikir; languages, English (official ) and Austronesian languages. Full name Federated States of Micronesia. The group was administered by the US as part of the Pacific Islands Trust Territory from 1947 and entered into free association with the US as an independent state in 1986. ORIGIN from Greek mikros ‘small ’ + nēsos ‘island. ’

Micronesian

Mi cro ne sian |ˌmīkrəˈnēZHən ˌmaɪkrəˈniʒən | ▶adjective of or relating to Micronesia, its people, or their languages. ▶noun 1 a native of Micronesia. 2 the group of Austronesian languages spoken in Micronesia.

micronize

mi cron ize |ˈmīkrəˌnīz ˈmaɪkrənaɪz | ▶verb [ with obj. ] break (a substance ) into very fine particles. DERIVATIVES mi cron i za tion |ˌmīkrənəˈzāSHən |noun, mi cron iz er noun

micronutrient

mi cro nu tri ent |ˌmīkrōˈn (y )o͞otrēənt ˌmaɪkroʊˈnjutriənt | ▶noun a chemical element or substance required in trace amounts for the normal growth and development of living organisms.

microorganism

mi cro or gan ism |ˌmīkrōˈôrgəˌnizəm ˌmaɪkroʊˈɔrɡənɪzəm | ▶noun a microscopic organism, esp. a bacterium, virus, or fungus.

micropayment

mi cro pay ment |ˈmīkrōˌpāmənt ˈmaɪkroʊpeɪmənt | ▶noun a very small payment made each time a user accesses an Internet page or service.

microphage

mi cro phage |ˈmīkrōˌfāj ˈmaɪkroʊfeɪʤ | ▶noun Physiology a small phagocytic blood cell, in particular a polymorphonuclear leukocyte.

microphagous

mi croph a gous |mīˈkräfəgəs maɪˈkrɑfəɡəs | ▶adjective Zoology (of an invertebrate ) feeding on minute particles or microorganisms. DERIVATIVES mi cro phag ic |ˌmīkrəˈfājik, -ˈfajik |adjective

microphone

mi cro phone |ˈmīkrəˌfōn ˈmaɪkrəˌfoʊn | ▶noun an instrument for converting sound waves into electrical energy variations, which may then be amplified, transmitted, or recorded. DERIVATIVES mi cro phon ic |ˌmīkrəˈfänik |adjective

microphotograph

microphyll

microphyll |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )fɪl | ▶noun Botany a very short leaf, such as in a moss or clubmoss, with a single unbranched vein and no leaf gaps in the stele.

microphysics

mi cro phys ics |ˌmīkrōˈfiziks ˈmaɪkroʊfɪzɪks | ▶plural noun [ treated as sing. ] the branch of physics that deals with bodies and phenomena on a microscopic or smaller scale, esp. with molecules, atoms, and subatomic particles. DERIVATIVES mi cro phys i cal |-ˈfizikəl |adjective

micropipette

mi cro pi pette |ˌmīkrōˌpīˈpet ˌmaɪkroʊˌpaɪˈpɛt |(also micropipet ) ▶noun a very fine pipette for measuring, transferring, or injecting very small quantities of liquid.

micropolitan

mi cro pol i tan |ˌmīkrōˈpälətn maɪkroʊˈpɑlətn | ▶adjective relating to an urban area with a population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000. new, southern micropolitan areas have shown the greatest job growth in the last decade.

micropore

micropower

mi cro pow er |ˈmīkrōˌpou (ə )r ˈmaɪkroʊˌpaʊ (-ə )r | ▶noun [ often as modifier ] electrical power that is generated or utilized in relatively small quantities: micropower technologies.

microprint

mi cro print |ˈmīkrəˌprint ˈmaɪkrəprɪnt | ▶noun printed text reduced by microphotography. DERIVATIVES mic ro print ing noun

microprism

micro |prism ▶noun [ usu. as modifier ] an area of the focusing screen of some reflex cameras which is covered with a grid of tiny prisms and splits up the image when the subject is not in focus.

microprobe

mi cro probe |ˈmīkrəˌprōb ˈmaɪkrəproʊb | ▶noun Chemistry an instrument in which a beam of electrons or other radiation is focused onto a minute area of a sample and the resulting secondary radiation (usually X-ray fluorescence ) is analyzed to yield chemical information.

microprocessor

mi cro proc es sor |ˌmīkrəˈpräsesər, -ˈprōˌsesər maɪkroʊˈproʊsesər ˈˌmaɪkrəˈprɑsɛsər | ▶noun an integrated circuit that contains all the functions of a central processing unit of a computer. DERIVATIVES mi cro proc ess ing noun

microprogram

mi cro pro gram |ˈmīkrəˌprōgrəm, -gram ˈmaɪkrəproʊɡrəm | ▶noun a microinstruction program that controls the functions of a central processing unit or peripheral controller of a computer. ▶verb [ with obj. ] use microprogramming with (a computer ); bring about by means of a microprogram: by 1980 virtually all computers were microprogrammed. DERIVATIVES mi cro pro gram ma ble adjective, mi cro pro gram mer noun

microprogramming

mi cro pro gram ming |ˈmīkrəˌprōgrəmiNG, ˈmīkrəˌprōgramiNG ˌmaɪkrəˈproʊɡrəmɪŋ | ▶noun the technique of making machine instructions generate sequences of microinstructions in accordance with a microprogram rather than initiate the desired operations directly.

micropropagation

mi cro prop a ga tion |ˌmīkrōˌpräpəˈgāSHən ˈˌmaɪkroʊˌprɑpəˈɡeɪʃən | ▶noun Botany the propagation of plants by growing plantlets in tissue culture and then planting them out.

micropsia

mi crop si a |mīˈkräpsēə maɪˈkrɑpsiə | ▶noun a condition of the eyes in which objects appear smaller than normal. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from micro- ‘small ’ + Greek -opsia ‘seeing. ’

micropterous

micropterous |mʌɪˈkrɒpt (ə )rəs | ▶adjective Entomology having small or reduced wings.

micropyle

mi cro pyle |ˈmīkrəˌpīl ˈmaɪkrəpaɪl | ▶noun Botany a small opening in the surface of an ovule, through which the pollen tube penetrates, often visible as a small pore in the ripe seed. • a small opening in the egg of a fish, insect, etc. , through which spermatozoa can enter. DERIVATIVES mi cro py lar |ˌmīkrəˈpīlər |adjective ORIGIN early 19th cent.: from micro- ‘small ’ + Greek pulē ‘gate. ’

microreader

micro |read ¦er ▶noun an apparatus for producing an enlarged readable image from a microfilm or microprint.

microRNA

mi cro RNA |ˈmīkrōˌärenˈā ˌmaɪkroʊˌɑrɛnˈeɪ | ▶noun Genetics a cellular RNA fragment that prevents the production of a particular protein by binding to and destroying the messenger RNA that would have produced the protein.

microsatellite

micro |sat ¦el ¦lite ▶noun Genetics a set of short repeated DNA sequences at a particular locus on a chromosome, which vary in number in different individuals and so can be used for genetic fingerprinting.

microscooter

micro |scoot ¦er ▶noun a small two-wheeled foldable aluminium scooter for both children and adults.

microscope

mi cro scope |ˈmīkrəˌskōp ˈmaɪkrəˌskoʊp | ▶noun an optical instrument used for viewing very small objects, such as mineral samples or animal or plant cells, typically magnified several hundred times. PHRASES under the microscope under critical examination. ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin microscopium (see micro-, -scope ).

microscope slide

mi cro scope slide ▶noun see slide ( sense 3 of the noun ).

microscopic

mi cro scop ic |ˌmīkrəˈskäpik ˈˌmaɪkrəˈˌskɑpɪk | ▶adjective 1 so small as to be visible only with a microscope: microscopic algae. • informal extremely small: a microscopic skirt. • concerned with minute detail: such a vision is as microscopic as his is panoramic. 2 of or relating to a microscope: microscopic analysis of the soil. DERIVATIVES mi cro scop i cal adjective microscopic ( sense 2 ), mi cro scop i cal ly |-ik (ə )lē |adverb

Microscopium

Mi cro sco pi um |ˌmīkrəˈskōpēəm ˌmaɪkrəˈskoʊpiəm |Astronomy a small and inconspicuous southern constellation (the Microscope ), between Piscis Austrinus and Sagittarius. • (as genitive Microscopii |ˌmīkrəˈskōpē -ē, -pēˌī |) used with a preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation: the star Gamma Microscopii. ORIGIN modern Latin.

microscopy

mi cros co py |mīˈkräskəpē maɪˈkrɑskəpi | ▶noun the use of the microscope. DERIVATIVES mi cros co pist |-pist |noun

microsecond

mi cro sec ond |ˈmīkrōˌsekənd ˈˌmaɪkroʊˌsɛkənd |(abbr.: μs ) ▶noun one millionth of a second.

microseism

mi cro seism |ˈmīkrōˌsīzəm ˈmaɪkroʊsaɪzəm | ▶noun Geology a very small earthquake, less than 2 on the Richter scale. DERIVATIVES mi cro seis mic |ˌmīkrōˈsīzmik |adjective

microsite

mi cro site |ˈmīkrəˌsīt ˈmaɪkrəsaɪt | ▶noun 1 an auxiliary website with independent links and address that is accessed mainly from a larger site. 2 a small part of an ecosystem that differs markedly from its immediate surroundings.

microsome

mi cro some |ˈmīkrəˌsōm ˈmaɪkrəsoʊm | ▶noun Biology a fragment of endoplasmic reticulum and attached ribosomes obtained by the centrifugation of homogenized cells. DERIVATIVES mi cro so mal |ˌmīkrəˈsōməl |adjective

microspecies

micro |species ▶noun ( pl. same ) Biology a species differing only in minor characteristics from others of its group, typically one of limited geographical range forming part of an aggregate species.

microsphere

mi cro sphere |ˈmīkrōˌsfir ˈmaɪkroʊsfɪər | ▶noun a microscopic hollow sphere, esp. of a protein or synthetic polymer.

microsporangium

mi cro spo ran gi um |ˌmīkrōspəˈranj (ē )əm ˌmaɪkroʊspəˈrænʤiəm | ▶noun ( pl. microsporangia |-j (ē )ə | ) Botany a sporangium containing microspores.

microspore

mi cro spore |ˈmīkrəˌspôr ˈmaɪkrəspɔər | ▶noun Botany the smaller of the two kinds of spore produced by some ferns. See also megaspore.

microstructure

mi cro struc ture |ˌmīkrəˈstrəkCHər ˈˌmaɪkrəˈstrək (t )ʃər | ▶noun the fine structure (in a metal or other material ) that can be made visible and examined with a microscope.

microsuede

mi cro suede |ˈmīkrəˌswād ˈmaɪkrəsweɪd | ▶noun a polyester microfiber fabric with a suedelike, water-repellent finished surface.

microsurgery

microswitch

mi cro switch |ˈmīkrəˌswiCH ˈmaɪkrəˌswɪtʃ | ▶noun an electric switch that can be operated rapidly by a small movement.

microtechnology

mi cro tech nol o gy |ˌmīkrōtekˈnäləjē ˌmaɪkroʊtɛkˈnɑləʤi | ▶noun technology that uses microelectronics. DERIVATIVES mi cro tech no log i cal |-nəˈläjikəl |adjective

microtome

mi cro tome |ˈmīkrəˌtōm ˈmaɪkrətoʊm | ▶noun chiefly Biology an instrument for cutting extremely thin sections of material for examination under a microscope.

microtone

microtubule

mi cro tu bule |ˌmīkrəˈt (y )o͞obyo͞ol ˈmaɪkrətjubjul | ▶noun Biology a microscopic tubular structure present in numbers in the cytoplasm of cells, sometimes aggregating to form more complex structures.

microvascular

mi cro vas cu lar |ˌmīkrōˈvaskyələr ˌmaɪkroʊˈvæskjələr | ▶noun of or relating to the smallest blood vessels.

microvillus

microwave

mi cro wave |ˈmīkrəˌwāv ˈmaɪkrəˌweɪv | ▶noun an electromagnetic wave with a wavelength in the range 0.001 –0.3 m, shorter than that of a normal radio wave but longer than those of infrared radiation. Microwaves are used in radar, in communications, and for heating in microwave ovens and in various industrial processes. • short for microwave oven. ▶verb [ with obj. ] cook (food ) in a microwave oven. DERIVATIVES mi cro wave a ble (also microwavable ) adjective

microwave background

mi cro wave back ground ▶noun Astronomy weak uniform microwave radiation that is detectable in nearly every direction of the sky. It is believed to be evidence of the Big Bang.

microwave oven

mi cro wave ov en |maɪkrəweɪvˈʌvn | ▶noun an oven that uses microwaves to cook or heat food.

Oxford Dictionary

micro

micro |ˈmʌɪkrəʊ | ▶noun ( pl. micros ) 1 a microcomputer. 2 a microprocessor. 3 a very short miniskirt or minidress. ▶adjective extremely small: a micro buffet area. • small-scale: many people think on a micro level.

micro-

micro- |ˈmʌɪkrəʊ | ▶combining form 1 small: microcar. • of reduced or restricted size: microdot. 2 (used in units of measurement ) denoting a factor of one millionth (10 −6 ): microfarad. ORIGIN from Greek mikros ‘small ’.

microaerophilic

microanalyser

microanalyser |mʌɪkrəʊˈanəlʌɪzə |(US also microanalyzer ) ▶noun Chemistry an instrument in which a beam of electrons or other radiation is focused on to a minute area of a sample and the resulting secondary radiation (usually X-ray fluorescence ) is analysed to yield chemical information.

microanalysis

micro |analy ¦sis |ˌmʌɪkrəʊəˈnalɪsɪs | ▶noun [ mass noun ] the quantitative analysis of chemical compounds using a sample of a few milligrams. DERIVATIVES microanalytical adjective

microarray

micro |array ▶noun Genetics a set of DNA sequences representing the entire set of genes of an organism, arranged in a grid pattern for use in genetic testing.

microbalance

micro |bal ¦ance ▶noun a balance for weighing masses of a fraction of a gram.

microbe

microbiology

microbiota

microbiota |ˌmʌɪkrəʊbvɪˈəʊtə | ▶noun [ mass noun ] the microorganisms of a particular site, habitat, or geological period.

microblogging

microblogging |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˌblɒgɪŋ | ▶noun [ mass noun ] the posting of very short entries or updates on a blog or social networking site, typically via a mobile phone. DERIVATIVES microblog noun

microbrew

micro |brew ▶noun chiefly N. Amer. a type of beer produced in a microbrewery.

microbrewery

micro |brew ¦ery ▶noun ( pl. microbreweries ) chiefly N. Amer. a brewery which produces limited quantities of beer, typically for consumption on its own premises. DERIVATIVES microbrewer noun

microbrowser

micro |brows ¦er ▶noun an Internet browser for use with mobile phones and other handheld devices with small screens.

microburst

micro |burst |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )bəːst | ▶noun a sudden, powerful, localized air current, especially a downdraught.

microcapsule

micro |cap ¦sule ▶noun a minute capsule used to contain drugs, dyes, or other substances and render them temporarily inactive.

microcar

micro |car ▶noun a small and fuel-efficient car.

microcellular

micro |cel ¦lu ¦lar ▶adjective containing or made up of minute cells. • (of a mobile telephone system ) having small cells, typically with a radius of five hundred metres.

microcephaly

microcheck

micro |check ▶noun [ usu. as modifier ] a pattern of very small squares.

microchemistry

micro |chem ¦is ¦try ▶noun [ mass noun ] the branch of chemistry concerned with the reactions and properties of substances in minute quantities, e.g. in living tissue.

microchip

micro |chip |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )tʃɪp | ▶noun a tiny wafer of semiconducting material used to make an integrated circuit. ▶verb ( microchips, microchipping, microchipped ) [ with obj. ] implant a microchip under the skin of (a domestic animal ) as a means of identification.

Microchiroptera

Microchiroptera |ˌmʌɪkrəʊkʌɪˈrɒpt (ə )rə | ▶plural noun Zoology a major division of bats which comprises all but the fruit bats. ●Suborder Microchiroptera, order Chiroptera: many families. DERIVATIVES microchiropteran noun & adjective ORIGIN modern Latin (plural ), from micro- ‘small ’ + Greek kheir ‘hand ’ + pteron ‘wing ’.

microcinema

microcircuit

micro |cir ¦cuit |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˌsəːkɪt | ▶noun a minute electric circuit, especially an integrated circuit. DERIVATIVES microcircuitry noun

microcirculation

micro |cir ¦cu |la ¦tion ▶noun [ mass noun ] circulation of the blood in the smallest blood vessels. DERIVATIVES microcirculatory adjective

microclimate

microcline

microcline |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )klʌɪn | ▶noun [ mass noun ] a green, pink, or brown crystalline mineral consisting of potassium-rich feldspar, characteristic of granite and pegmatites. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from German Microklin, from Greek mikros ‘small ’ + klinein ‘to lean ’ (because its angle of cleavage differs only slightly from 90 degrees ).

micrococcus

micrococcus |ˌmʌɪkrəʊˈkɒkəs | ▶noun ( pl. micrococci |-ˈkɒk (s )ʌɪ, -(s )i | ) a spherical bacterium found on dead or decaying organic matter. ●Family Micrococcaceae of Gram-positive non-motile bacteria, in particular the genera Micrococcus and Staphylococcus. DERIVATIVES micrococcal adjective

microcode

micro |code |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )kəʊd | ▶noun [ mass noun ] Computing a very low-level instruction set which is stored permanently in a computer or peripheral controller and controls the operation of the device.

microcomputer

micro |com ¦puter |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )kɒmˌpjuːtə | ▶noun a small computer that contains a microprocessor as its central processor.

microcontinent

micro |con ¦tin ¦ent ▶noun Geology an isolated fragment of continental crust forming part of a small crust plate.

microcontroller

micro |con ¦trol |ler ▶noun Computing a control device which incorporates a microprocessor.

microcopy

micro |copy |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˌkɒpi | ▶noun ( pl. microcopies ) a copy of printed matter that has been reduced in size by microphotography.

microcosm

microcosm |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )kɒz (ə )m | ▶noun a community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristics of something much larger: the city is a microcosm of modern Malaysia. • humankind regarded as the representation in miniature of the universe. DERIVATIVES microcosmic |-ˈkɒzmɪk |adjective, microcosmically |-ˈkɒzmɪk (ə )li |adverb ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French microcosme or medieval Latin microcosmus, from Greek mikros kosmos ‘little world ’.

microcosmic salt

micro |cos ¦mic salt ▶noun [ mass noun ] Chemistry a white crystalline salt obtained from human urine. ●Hydrated sodium ammonium hydrogen phosphate; chem. formula: HNaNH 4 PO 4. 4H 2 O. ORIGIN late 18th cent.: translating Latin sal microcosmicus.

microcredit

micro |credit ▶noun [ mass noun ] the lending of small amounts of money at low interest to new businesses in the developing world.

microcrystalline

micro |crys ¦tal |line |mʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˈkrɪstəlʌɪn | ▶adjective (of a material ) formed of microscopic crystals.

microcyte

microcyte |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )sʌɪt, ˈmɪ -| ▶noun Medicine an unusually small red blood cell, associated with certain anaemias. DERIVATIVES microcytic adjective

microdensitometer

micro |densi ¦tom ¦eter ▶noun a densitometer for measuring the density of very small areas of a photographic image.

microdermabrasion

microdermabrasion |mʌɪkrəʊˌdəːməˈbreɪʒ (ə )n | ▶noun [ mass noun ] a cosmetic treatment in which the face is sprayed with exfoliant crystals to remove dead epidermal cells.

microdose

mi cro dose |ˈmīkrōˌdōs ˈmaɪkroʊdoʊs | ▶noun a dose of as little as one milligram of a drug that is intended to produce a beneficial result while avoiding undesirable side effects.

microdot

micro |dot |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )dɒt | ▶noun 1 a microphotograph, especially of a document, that is only about 1 mm across. 2 a tablet of LSD.

microeconomics

micro |eco ¦nom ¦ics |ˌmʌɪkrəʊiːkəˈnɒmɪks, -ɛkə -| ▶plural noun [ treated as sing. ] the part of economics concerned with single factors and the effects of individual decisions. DERIVATIVES microeconomic adjective

microelectromechanical

microelectromechanical |ˌmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ɪˌlɛktrə (ʊ )məˈkanik (ə )l | ▶adjective containing or consisting of miniature electronic and mechanical components.

microelectronics

micro |elec ¦tron ¦ics |ˌmʌɪkrəʊɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪks | ▶plural noun [ usu. treated as sing. ] the design, manufacture, and use of microchips and microcircuits. DERIVATIVES microelectronic adjective

microenterprise

microenterprise |ˌmʌɪkrəʊˈɛntəprʌɪz | ▶noun a business operating on a very small scale, especially one in the developing world that is supported by microcredit.

micro-environment

micro-environment ▶noun Biology the immediate small-scale environment of an organism or a part of an organism, especially as a distinct part of a larger environment.

microevolution

micro |evo ¦lu ¦tion |ˌmʌɪkrəʊiːvəˈluːʃ (ə )n, -ˈljuːʃ (ə )n, -ɛv- | ▶noun [ mass noun ] Biology evolutionary change within a species or small group of organisms, especially over a short period. DERIVATIVES microevolutionary adjective

microfarad

micro |farad ▶noun one millionth of a farad. (Symbol: μF ).

microfauna

micro |fauna |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )fɔːnə (r )| ▶noun [ mass noun ] Ecology microscopic interstitial animals living in the soil.

microfibre

microfibre |ˈmʌɪkrəʊfʌɪbə (r ) |(US also microfiber ) ▶noun a very fine synthetic yarn.

microfibril

micro |fib ¦ril ▶noun Biology a small fibril in the cytoplasm or wall of a cell, visible only under an electron microscope, and typically aggregated into coarser fibrils or structures.

microfiche

microfiche |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )fiːʃ | ▶noun a flat piece of film containing microphotographs of the pages of a newspaper, catalogue, or other document. ▶verb [ with obj. ] reproduce (a document ) on microfilm.

microfilament

micro |fila ¦ment ▶noun Biology a small rod-like structure, about 4 –7 nanometres in diameter, present in numbers in the cytoplasm of many eukaryotic cells.

microfilaria

microfilaria |ˌmʌɪkrəʊfɪˈlɛːrɪə | ▶noun ( pl. microfilariae ) Zoology the minute larva of a filaria.

microfilm

micro |film |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )fɪlm | ▶noun [ mass noun ] film containing microphotographs of a newspaper, catalogue, or other document. ▶verb [ with obj. ] reproduce (a document ) on microfilm.

microfinance

microfinance |ˈmʌɪkrəʊfʌɪnans | ▶noun another term for microcredit.

microflora

micro |flora |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )flɔːrə (r )| ▶noun [ mass noun ] Biology bacteria and microscopic algae and fungi, especially those living in a particular site or habitat.

microform

micro |form |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )fɔːm | ▶noun [ mass noun ] microphotographic reproduction, on film or paper, of a manuscript, map, or other document.

microfossil

micro |fos ¦sil ▶noun a fossil or fossil fragment that can only be seen with a microscope.

microfungus

micro |fungus ▶noun ( pl. microfungi ) Biology a fungus in which no sexual process has been observed or in which the reproductive organs are microscopic.

microgamete

micro |gam ¦ete ▶noun Biology (especially in protozoans ) the smaller of a pair of conjugating gametes, usually regarded as male.

microglia

microglia |ˌmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˈglʌɪə, ˌmɪ -| ▶plural noun Anatomy glial cells derived from mesoderm that function as macrophages (scavengers ) in the central nervous system and form part of the reticuloendothelial system. DERIVATIVES microglial adjective

microgram

micro |gram |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )gram | ▶noun one millionth of a gram. (Symbol: μg )

microgranite

micro |gran ¦ite ▶noun [ mass noun ] Geology granite that is recognizable as crystalline only under a microscope.

micrograph

micro |graph |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )grɑːf | ▶noun a photograph taken by means of a microscope. DERIVATIVES micrographic adjective, micrographics noun, micrography noun

microgravity

micro |grav ¦ity |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˌgravɪti | ▶noun [ mass noun ] very weak gravity, as in an orbiting spacecraft.

microgreens

microgreens |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )griːnz | ▶plural noun the shoots of salad vegetables such as rocket, celery, beetroot, etc. , picked just after the first leaves have developed.

microgroove

micro |groove |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )gruːv | ▶noun a very narrow groove on a long-playing record.

microhabitat

micro |habi ¦tat |ˈmʌɪkrəʊhabɪtat | ▶noun Ecology a habitat which is of small or limited extent and which differs in character from some surrounding more extensive habitat.

microinject

micro |inject |mʌɪkrəʊɪnˈʤɛkt | ▶verb [ with obj. ] Biology inject (a substance ) into a microscopic object. DERIVATIVES microinjection noun

microinstruction

micro |in ¦struc |tion |ˈmʌɪkrəʊɪnˌstrʌkʃ (ə )n | ▶noun Computing a single instruction in microcode.

microinvasive

microinvasive |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ɪnˌveɪsɪv | ▶adjective 1 Pathology (of a cancerous growth ) invasive at a microscopic level. 2 Surgery denoting or relating to techniques and procedures that minimize the extent of surgical intervention.

microkernel

micro |kernel ▶noun Computing a small modular part of an operating system kernel which implements its basic features.

microlending

microlending |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )lɛndɪŋ | ▶noun another term for microcredit. DERIVATIVES microlender noun

microlepidoptera

microlepidoptera |ˌmʌɪkrə (ʊ )lɛpɪˈdɒpt (ə )rə | ▶plural noun Entomology the numerous small moths which are of interest only to the specialist collector. ORIGIN modern Latin (plural ), from micro- ‘small ’ + Lepidoptera .

microlight

micro |light |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )lʌɪt | ▶noun chiefly Brit. a very small, light, one- or two-seater aircraft.

microlith

microlitre

microlitre |ˈmʌɪkrəʊliːtə (r ) |(US also microliter ) ▶noun one millionth of a litre. (Symbol: μl ).

micromanage

micro |manage |ˈmʌɪkrəʊmaenɪdʒ | ▶verb [ with obj. ] N. Amer. control every part, however small, of (an enterprise or activity ). DERIVATIVES micromanagement noun, micromanager noun

micromesh

micro |mesh |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )mɛʃ | ▶noun [ mass noun ] a material, typically nylon, consisting of a very fine mesh.

micrometeorite

micro |meteor |ite |mʌɪkrəʊˈmiːtɪərʌɪt | ▶noun a micrometeoroid that has entered the earth's atmosphere.

micrometeoroid

micro |meteor |oid |mʌɪkrəʊˈmiːtɪərɔɪd | ▶noun a microscopic particle in space or of extraterrestrial origin which is small enough not to burn up in the earth's atmosphere but to drift to the surface instead.

micrometeorology

micro |meteor |ology |ˌmʌɪkrə (ʊ )miːtɪəˈrɒlədʒi | ▶noun [ mass noun ] the branch of meteorology concerned with small areas and with small-scale meteorological phenomena. DERIVATIVES micrometeorological adjective

micrometer

micrometer 1 |mʌɪˈkrɒmɪtə | ▶noun a gauge which measures small distances or thicknesses between its two faces, one of which can be moved away from or towards the other by turning a screw with a fine thread. DERIVATIVES micrometry noun

micrometer

micrometer 2 ▶noun US spelling of micrometre.

micrometre

micrometre |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˌmiːtə |(US micrometer ) ▶noun one millionth of a metre. (Symbol: μm )

microminiaturization

microminiaturization |ˌmʌɪkrəʊˌmɪnɪtʃərʌɪˈzeɪʃ (ə )n |(also microminiaturisation ) ▶noun [ mass noun ] the manufacture of extremely small versions of electronic devices.

micron

micron |ˈmʌɪkrɒn | ▶noun a unit of length equal to one millionth of a metre, used in many technological and scientific fields. ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from Greek mikron, neuter of mikros ‘small ’.

Micronesia

Micronesia |ˌmʌɪkrəʊˈniːzɪə, -ˈniːʒə | 1 a region of the western Pacific to the north of Melanesia and north and west of Polynesia. It includes the Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall island groups and Kiribati. 2 a country in the western Pacific to the north of the equator, composed of hundreds of islands in the Caroline Islands group; pop. 107,400 (est. 2009 ); languages, English (official ), Austronesian languages; capital, Palikir. The islands were administered by the US as part of the Pacific Islands Trust Territory from 1947 and entered into free association with the US as an independent state in 1986. Full name Federated States of Micronesia. ORIGIN from Greek mikros ‘small ’ + nēsos ‘island ’.

Micronesian

Micro |nes ¦ian |mʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˈniːzj (ə )n, -ʒ (ə )n | ▶adjective relating to Micronesia, its people, or their languages. ▶noun 1 a native of Micronesia. 2 [ mass noun ] the group of Austronesian languages spoken in Micronesia.

micronize

micronize |ˈmʌɪkrənʌɪz |(also micronise ) ▶verb [ with obj. ] break (a substance ) into very fine particles. DERIVATIVES micronization noun, micronizer noun

micronutrient

micro |nu ¦trient |mʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˈnjuːtrɪənt | ▶noun a chemical element or substance required in trace amounts for the normal growth and development of living organisms.

microorganism

microorganism |mʌɪkrəʊˈɔːg (ə )nɪz (ə )m | ▶noun a microscopic organism, especially a bacterium, virus, or fungus.

micropayment

micro |pay ¦ment ▶noun a very small payment made each time a user accesses an Internet page or service.

microphage

micro |phage ▶noun Physiology a small phagocytic blood cell, in particular a polymorphonuclear leucocyte.

microphagous

microphagous |mʌɪˈkrɒfəgəs | ▶adjective Zoology (of an invertebrate ) feeding on minute particles or microorganisms. DERIVATIVES microphagic adjective

microphone

microphotograph

micro |photo ¦graph |mʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˈfəʊtəgrɑːf | ▶noun a photograph reduced to a very small size. DERIVATIVES microphotographic adjective, microphotography noun

microphyll

microphyll |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )fɪl | ▶noun Botany a very short leaf, such as in a moss or clubmoss, with a single unbranched vein and no leaf gaps in the stele.

microphysics

micro |phys ¦ics |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˌfɪzɪks | ▶plural noun [ treated as sing. ] the branch of physics that deals with bodies and phenomena on a microscopic or smaller scale, especially with molecules, atoms, and subatomic particles. DERIVATIVES microphysical adjective

micropipette

micro |pip ¦ette ▶noun a very fine pipette for measuring, transferring, or injecting very small quantities of liquid.

micropolitan

micropore

micro |pore |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )pɔː (r )| ▶noun a very narrow pore, especially in a material. DERIVATIVES microporosity noun, microporous adjective

micropower

micropower |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )paʊə | ▶noun [ mass noun ] [ often as modifier ] electrical power which is generated or utilized in relatively small quantities: micropower generators. renewable micropower technologies.

microprint

micro |print |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )prɪnt | ▶noun [ mass noun ] printed text reduced by microphotography. DERIVATIVES microprinting noun

microprism

micro |prism ▶noun [ usu. as modifier ] an area of the focusing screen of some reflex cameras which is covered with a grid of tiny prisms and splits up the image when the subject is not in focus.

microprobe

micro |probe |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )prəʊb | ▶noun another term for microanalyser.

microprocessor

micro |pro ¦ces ¦sor |mʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˈprəʊsɛsə | ▶noun an integrated circuit that contains all the functions of a central processing unit of a computer.

microprogram

micro |pro ¦gram |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˌprəʊgram | ▶noun a microinstruction program that controls the functions of a central processing unit or peripheral controller of a computer.

microprogramming

micropropagation

micro |propa ¦ga ¦tion |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )prɒpəɡeɪʃn | ▶noun [ mass noun ] Botany the propagation of plants by growing plantlets in tissue culture and then planting them out.

micropsia

micropsia |mʌɪˈkrɒpsɪə | ▶noun [ mass noun ] a condition of the eyes in which objects appear smaller than normal. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from micro- ‘small ’ + Greek -opsia ‘seeing ’.

micropterous

micropterous |mʌɪˈkrɒpt (ə )rəs | ▶adjective Entomology having small or reduced wings.

micropyle

micropyle |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )pʌɪl | ▶noun Botany a small opening in the surface of an ovule, through which the pollen tube penetrates, often visible as a small pore in the ripe seed. • Zoology a small opening in the egg of a fish, insect, etc. , through which spermatozoa can enter. ORIGIN early 19th cent.: from micro- ‘small ’ + Greek pulē ‘gate ’.

microreader

micro |read ¦er ▶noun an apparatus for producing an enlarged readable image from a microfilm or microprint.

microRNA

microsatellite

microscooter

micro |scoot ¦er ▶noun a small two-wheeled foldable aluminium scooter for both children and adults.

microscope

micro |scope |ˈmʌɪkrəskəʊp | ▶noun an optical instrument used for viewing very small objects, such as mineral samples or animal or plant cells, typically magnified several hundred times. PHRASES under the microscope being subjected to critical examination or analysis. ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin microscopium (see micro-, -scope ).

microscopic

micro |scop ¦ic |mʌɪkrəˈskɒpɪk | ▶adjective 1 so small as to be visible only with a microscope: microscopic algae. • informal extremely small: a microscopic skirt. • concerned with minute detail: such a vision is as microscopic as his is panoramic. 2 relating to a microscope: microscopic soil analysis. DERIVATIVES microscopical adjective microscopic ( sense 2 ), microscopically adverb

Microscopium

Microscopium |ˌmʌɪkrəˈskəʊpɪəm | a small and inconspicuous southern constellation (the Microscope ), between Piscis Austrinus and Sagittarius. ORIGIN modern Latin.

microscopy

microscopy |mʌɪˈkrɒskəpi | ▶noun [ mass noun ] the use of the microscope. DERIVATIVES microscopist noun

microsecond

micro |sec ¦ond |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˌsɛkənd | ▶noun one millionth of a second. (Symbol. : μs )

microseism

microseism |ˈmʌɪkrəʊˌsʌɪz (ə )m | ▶noun Geology a very small earthquake, less than 2 on the Richter scale. DERIVATIVES microseismic adjective

microsite

microsite |ˈmʌɪkrəʊsʌɪt | ▶noun 1 Ecology a small, distinct area or habitat within a particular ecosystem. 2 a small auxiliary website designed to function as a supplement to a primary website.

microsome

microsome |ˈmʌɪkrəsəʊm | ▶noun Biology a fragment of endoplasmic reticulum and attached ribosomes obtained by the centrifugation of homogenized cells. DERIVATIVES microsomal adjective

microspecies

microsphere

micro |sphere |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )sfɪə (r )| ▶noun a microscopic hollow sphere, especially of a protein or synthetic polymer.

microsporangium

microsporangium |ˌmʌɪkrə (ʊ )spəˈrandʒɪəm | ▶noun ( pl. microsporangia |-dʒɪə | ) Botany a sporangium containing microspores.

microspore

micro |spore |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )spɔː | ▶noun Botany the smaller of the two kinds of spore produced by some ferns. See also megaspore.

microstructure

micro |struc ¦ture |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˌstrʌktʃə | ▶noun the fine structure (in a metal or other material ) which can be made visible and examined with a microscope. DERIVATIVES microstructural adjective

microsuede

mi cro suede |ˈmīkrəˌswād ˈmaɪkrəsweɪd | ▶noun a polyester microfiber fabric with a suedelike, water-repellent finished surface.

microsurgery

microswitch

micro |switch |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )swɪtʃ | ▶noun a very sensitive electric switch that can be operated rapidly by a small movement.

microtechnology

micro |tech ¦nol ¦ogy ▶noun [ mass noun ] technology that uses microelectronics. DERIVATIVES microtechnological adjective

microtome

microtome |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )təʊm | ▶noun chiefly Biology an instrument for cutting extremely thin sections of material for examination under a microscope.

microtone

micro |tone |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )təʊn | ▶noun Music an interval smaller than a semitone. DERIVATIVES microtonal adjective, microtonality noun, microtonally adverb

microtubule

micro |tubule |mʌɪkrə (ʊ )ˈtjuːbjuːl | ▶noun Biology a microscopic tubular structure present in numbers in the cytoplasm of cells, sometimes aggregating to form more complex structures.

microvascular

micro |vascu ¦lar |ˌmʌɪkrəʊˈvaskjʊlə | ▶adjective relating to the smallest blood vessels.

microvillus

microwave

micro |wave |ˈmʌɪkrə (ʊ )weɪv | ▶noun an electromagnetic wave with a wavelength in the range 0.001 –0.3 m, shorter than that of a normal radio wave but longer than those of infrared radiation. Microwaves are used in radar, in communications, and for heating in microwave ovens and in various industrial processes. • (also microwave oven ) an oven that uses microwaves to cook or heat food. ▶verb [ with obj. ] cook (food ) in a microwave oven. DERIVATIVES microwaveable (also microwavable ) adjective

microwave background

micro |wave back |ground ▶noun Astronomy a weak uniform microwave radiation which is detectable in nearly every direction of the sky. It is believed to be evidence of the Big Bang.

microwave oven

mi cro wave ov en |maɪkrəweɪvˈʌvn | ▶noun an oven that uses microwaves to cook or heat food.

American Oxford Thesaurus

microbe

microbe noun a culture of isolated microbes: microorganism, bacillus, bacterium, virus, germ; informal bug.

microscopic

microscopic adjective microscopic fibers found in the suspect's car: tiny, very small, minute, infinitesimal, minuscule; little, micro, diminutive; informal teeny, weeny, teeny-weeny, teensy-weensy, itsy-bitsy, little-bitty; Scottish wee. ANTONYMS huge.

Oxford Thesaurus

microbe

microbe noun microbes which cause dangerous diseases: microorganism, bacillus, bacterium, virus, germ; informal bug. WORD LINKS microbe microphobia, bacillophobia fear of microbes Word Links sections supply words that are related to the headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus because they are not actual synonyms.

microscopic

microscopic adjective protozoa are microscopic amoeba-like organisms: tiny, very small, minute, infinitesimal, minuscule, nanoscopic, invisible to the naked eye; little, micro, diminutive; Scottish wee; informal teeny, teeny-weeny, teensy, teensy-weensy, weeny, itsy-bitsy, itty-bitty, eensy, eensy-weensy, tiddly, pint-sized, bite-sized, knee-high to a grasshopper; Brit. informal titchy; N. Amer. informal little-bitty. ANTONYMS huge, enormous, gigantic.

Duden Dictionary

micro-

mi c ro-, Mi c ro-, mi cro- Mi cro- Präfix Micro- mikro-, Mikro-

Microburst

Mi c ro burst , Mi cro burst Substantiv, maskulin Flugwesen , der |ˈma͜ikroʊbøːɐ̯st |der Microburst; Genitiv: des Microburst [s ], Plural: die Microbursts englisch-amerikanisch den Start- oder Landevorgang von Flugzeugen gefährdende Fallbö

Microfaser

Mi c ro fa ser , Mi cro fa ser , die ® Mikrofaser |M i crofaser |

Micropayment

Mi c ro pay ment , Mi cro pay ment Substantiv, Neutrum , das |ˈma͜ikropeɪmənt |das Micropayment; Genitiv: des Micropayments, Plural: die Micropayments englisch [System für die ] Zahlung kleiner Beträge im Internet

French Dictionary

micro

micro n. m. nom masculin 1 Abréviation de microphone. 2 familier Abréviation de micro-ordinateur.

micro-

micro- préf. préfixe Élément du grec signifiant « petit ». • Mots composés. Les mots composés avec le préfixe micro- s ’écrivent généralement en un seul mot, à l ’exception de ceux dont le second élément commence par la voyelle i. : Une microbrasserie. Un microfilm. Une microfibre. Micro-informatique. Note Technique Une tendance à écrire les mots formés de micro- en un seul mot se dessine peu à peu. Microélectronique. Des microordinateurs ou micro-ordinateurs. Préfixe qui multiplie par 0,000 001 l ’unité qu ’il précède. : Des microsecondes. Note Technique Sa notation scientifique est 10 -6.

micro-analyse

micro-analyse ou microanalyse n. f. nom féminin Analyse chimique de haute précision.

microbe

microbe n. m. nom masculin Organisme microscopique à l ’origine des maladies infectieuses. SYNONYME bactérie ; germe .

microbien

microbien , ienne adj. adjectif Relatif aux microbes. : Une infection microbienne.

microbiologie

microbiologie n. f. nom féminin Science des micro-organismes. Note Technique La microbiologie comprend la bactériologie, la virologie, la mycologie.

microbiologiste

microbiologiste n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin Spécialiste de la microbiologie.

microbrasserie

microbrasserie n. f. Établissement de brassage de la bière, dont la production, très faible, est réalisée de façon artisanale (GDT ).

microchirurgie

microchirurgie n. f. nom féminin Chirurgie effectuée à l ’aide d ’un microscope.

microclimat

microclimat n. m. nom masculin Ensemble des conditions de température, d ’humidité, etc. , propres à un espace restreint. : Le microclimat de l ’île de Jersey.

microcosme

microcosme n. m. nom masculin littéraire Univers en miniature.

microcrédit

microcrédit n. m. Attribution de prêts de faible montant, à intérêt réduit ou nul, consentis par un organisme sans but lucratif à des personnes qui ne peuvent accéder aux prêts bancaires afin de financer des microprojets créateurs de richesse. : « Le microcrédit a des effets à la fois économiques et sociaux majeurs: par exemple, il a réduit de 40 \% l ’ensemble de la pauvreté dans les régions rurales du Bangladesh » (La Presse ).

microéconomie

microéconomie n. f. nom féminin économie Partie de l ’économie qui étudie le comportement des unités individuelles (entreprise, consommateur, etc. ). Note Sémantique Ne pas confondre avec macroéconomie, partie de l ’économie qui étudie les structures générales, les grandeurs et les variables globales.

microéconomique

microéconomique adj. adjectif Relatif à la microéconomie. : Des effets microéconomiques.

microélectronique

microélectronique n. f. nom féminin Branche de l ’électronique qui traite des circuits intégrés.

microfibre

microfibre n. f. nom féminin Fibre textile extrêmement fine. : Un pantalon infroissable en microfibre.

microfiche

microfiche n. f. nom féminin Photographie très réduite d ’un document d ’archives.

microfilm

microfilm n. m. nom masculin Film composé de microfiches. : L ’espion avait des microfilms.

microfilmer

microfilmer v. tr. verbe transitif Reproduire des documents sous forme de microfiches. aimer

micro-informatique

micro-informatique n. f. nom féminin Abréviation familière micro. Domaine de l ’informatique relatif à la conception, à la fabrication et à l ’utilisation des micro-ordinateurs.

micromètre

micromètre n. m. nom masculin 1 Instrument de mesure de grande précision. 2 Un millionième de mètre. SYNONYME micron .

micron

micron n. m. nom masculin Symbole µm (s ’écrit sans point ). Unité de longueur valant un millionième de mètre. : Trois microns, 3 µm. SYNONYME micromètre .

micro-onde

micro-onde ou microonde n. f. nom féminin Onde de très petite longueur.

micro-ondes

micro-ondes ou microondes n. m. inv. nom masculin invariable Four à micro-ondes. : Cette soupe se réchauffe en 50 secondes au micro-ondes.

micro-ordinateur

micro-ordinateur ou microordinateur n. m. (pl. micro-ordinateurs ou microordinateurs ) nom masculin S ’abrège en micro (s ’écrit sans point ). informatique Ordinateur construit autour d ’un microprocesseur auquel est adjoint l ’environnement, logiciel et matériel, nécessaire au traitement complet de l ’information.

micro-organisme

micro-organisme ou microorganisme n. m. (pl. micro-organismes ou microorganismes ) nom masculin Organisme microscopique.

microphone

microphone n. m. nom masculin S ’abrège en micro (s ’écrit sans point ). Instrument servant à transformer et à amplifier le son.

microphonique

microphonique adj. adjectif Relatif au microphone.

microprocesseur

microprocesseur n. m. nom masculin informatique Circuit intégré remplissant les fonctions de processeur et comportant les circuits de base suivants: unité arithmétique et logique, unité de commande et décodeur d ’instructions.

microscope

microscope n. m. nom masculin Instrument d ’optique permettant de grossir les objets très petits. : Un microscope électronique.

microscopie

microscopie n. f. nom féminin Art d ’observer au microscope.

microscopique

microscopique adj. adjectif 1 Qui est extrêmement petit. : Un corps microscopique. 2 Qui s ’effectue au moyen d ’un microscope. : Un examen microscopique. 3 Minuscule, de format très réduit. : Des jardins microscopiques décorent ces immeubles japonais. SYNONYME géant .

microseconde

microseconde n. f. nom féminin Symbole µs (s ’écrit sans point ). Unité de temps valant un millionième de seconde. : Si l ’on cherche quelques repères chronologiques sur la contraction du temps dans l ’histoire, faut-il rappeler qu ’on a commencé de parler de dixième de seconde en 1600, de centième de seconde en 1800, de milliseconde en 1850, de microseconde (millionième de seconde ) en 1950, de nanoseconde (milliardième de seconde ) en 1965, de picoseconde (millième de milliardième de seconde ) en 1970, de femtoseconde (millionième de milliardième de seconde ) en 1990, et qu ’on parlera probablement en 2020 d ’attoseconde, c ’est-à -dire de milliardième de milliardième de seconde! (Le Monde diplomatique, 2002 )

microsillon

microsillon n. m. nom masculin Disque à longue durée. : Écouter des microsillons (et non des *longs-jeux ).

microstructure

microstructure n. f. nom féminin didactique Structure intégrée à une structure plus vaste. : La microstructure définit l ’organisation des articles d ’un dictionnaire, alors que la macrostructure est constituée par la nomenclature des mots étudiés. ANTONYME macrostructure .

microtechnologie

microtechnologie n. f. nom féminin Techniques de conception et de fabrication de structures de très petites dimensions.

Spanish Dictionary

micro

micro nombre masculino 1 coloquial Micrófono .2 Arg, Bol, Chile, Perú Vehículo automóvil con capacidad para gran número de pasajeros, destinado al transporte público en un trayecto fijo dentro de una población .SINÓNIMO autobús .

micro-

micro- 1 Elemento prefijal de origen griego que entra en la formación de nombres y adjetivos con el significado de ‘pequeño ’, ‘de magnitud reducida ’:microorganismo, microbiología, microprocesador, microcéfalo .2 Elemento prefijal de origen griego que entra en la formación de nombres con el significado de ‘la millonésima parte ’:microsegundo .ETIMOLOGÍA Préstamo del griego mikrós ‘pequeño ’, que forma compuestos en los que se refiere tanto a objetos de pequeño tamaño (microbús, microcéfalo ) como, por extensión, a la ampliación que producen de estos objetos (microscopio , micrófono ).

microanálisis

microanálisis nombre masculino Análisis químico de masas muy pequeñas de diversas sustancias :el microanálisis requiere el uso de instrumentos especiales .El plural es microanálisis .

microbalanza

microbalanza nombre femenino Balanza para medir masas pequeñas con gran precisión .

microbiano, -na

microbiano, -na adjetivo De los microbios o relacionado con ellos :en una de las lunas de Júpiter podría haber vida microbiana muy primitiva .

microbicida

microbicida adjetivo /nombre masculino [sustancia ] Que mata los microbios .

microbio

microbio nombre masculino 1 Organismo microscópico animal o vegetal :las bacterias son microbios carentes de núcleo; muchos indígenas murieron tras la conquista de América debido a infecciones causadas por microbios inexistentes en sus tierras antes de la llegada de los europeos .SINÓNIMO microorganismo .2 col. desp. Persona insignificante o de baja estatura .

microbiología

microbiología nombre femenino Parte de la biología que estudia los microorganismos u organismos microscópicos :los análisis fueron efectuados por el laboratorio de microbiología del hospital .

microbiólogo, -ga

microbiólogo, -ga nombre masculino y femenino Persona que se dedica a la microbiología .

microbús

microbús nombre masculino Vehículo automóvil de cuatro ruedas destinado generalmente al transporte público en un trayecto fijo dentro de una población, con menor capacidad de pasajeros que el autobús :alquilaremos un microbús para los invitados .

microcefalia

microcefalia nombre femenino Anomalía consistente en un desarrollo insuficiente del cráneo, a menudo acompañado de atrofia cerebral .

microcéfalo, -la

microcéfalo, -la adjetivo /nombre masculino y femenino [persona, animal ] Que padece microcefalia .

microchip

microchip nombre masculino Chip (circuito electrónico ).El plural es microchips .

microcircuito

microcircuito nombre masculino Circuito electrónico constituido de componentes miniaturizados .

microcirugía

microcirugía nombre femenino Cirugía que se realiza mediante microscopio sobre estructuras vivas muy pequeñas :la microcirugía ha permitido grandes adelantos en oftalmología .

microcirujano, -na

microcirujano, -na nombre masculino y femenino Médico especialista en microcirujía .

microclima

microclima nombre masculino Conjunto de las condiciones climáticas particulares de un lugar determinado, resultado de una modificación más o menos acusada y puntual del clima de la zona en que se encuentra influido por diferentes factores ecológicos y medioambientales :las grandes ciudades conforman un microclima especial con variaciones de temperatura de hasta 10 °C; en los invernaderos se crea un microclima determinado para cada tipo de cultivo .

micrococo

micrococo nombre masculino Bacteria de cuerpo esférico .

microcontinente

microcontinente nombre masculino Fragmento separado de un conjunto continental que forma parte del fondo marino; se distingue por ser un amplio territorio con una elevación muy superior al resto del fondo .

microcosmo

microcosmo nombre masculino Microcosmos .

microcosmos

microcosmos nombre masculino 1 Parte de la realidad o grupo humano que conforma un ámbito cerrado y se toma como la totalidad en que se desarrolla o mueve una persona, obra, etc. , o como un reflejo de una realidad superior :la novela presenta el microcosmos que configura la vida de la emigración italiana a lo largo del último medio siglo .SINÓNIMO microcosmo .2 filos El ser humano considerado como reflejo y resumen del universo o macrocosmos :se habla del hombre como un microcosmos dentro del gran macrocosmos del universo .SINÓNIMO microcosmo .

microcrédito

microcrédito nombre masculino Préstamo de poca cuantía a bajo interés que concede una ONG y una entidad bancaria a personas que, por ser insolventes, lo necesitan para poder financiar una actividad generadora de beneficios .

microdisección

microdisección nombre femenino Disección de tejidos que solo se puede realizar con la ayuda de un microscopio .

microeconomía

microeconomía nombre femenino Estudio de la economía de una zona, país o grupo de países en función de las actividades individuales de un comprador, de un fabricante, de una empresa, etc .

microeconómico, -ca

microeconómico, -ca adjetivo De la microeconomía o relacionado con ella .

microelectrónica

microelectrónica nombre femenino Técnica que consiste en diseñar y fabricar material electrónico de dimensiones muy pequeñas, aplicando especialmente elementos semiconductores :el desarrollo de la microelectrónica, la informática y las telecomunicaciones ha permitido que las ciudades sean más cómodas .

microespacio

microespacio nombre masculino En radio y televisión, programa de corta duración que se emite dentro de otro más largo :microespacio publicitario .

microestado

microestado nombre masculino Estado con un territorio y una población muy reducidos :el Vaticano, Singapur o Barbados son microestados .

microestructura

microestructura nombre femenino 1 Estructura que forma parte de otra más amplia .2 ling Disposición de las informaciones que constituyen cada uno de los artículos de un diccionario :el lema, la categoría gramatical y la definición son imprescindibles en la microestructura de un diccionario monolingüe .

micrófago, -ga

micrófago, -ga adjetivo zool [animal ] Que se alimenta de presas pequeñas o de partículas alimenticias microscópicas .

microfibra

microfibra nombre femenino Tela sintética formada por filamentos de grosor mucho más fino que la seda natural; se caracteriza por ser permeable al aire y a la humedad :hay muchos anoraks de microfibra porque la microfibra atrapa más aire en menos espacio y se consigue más calor con menos material .

microficha

microficha nombre femenino Ficha de película que contiene una serie de fotografías de tamaño extremadamente pequeño (generalmente, de las páginas de un libro, un documento, etc. ) que pueden ser vistas mediante un aparato adecuado :algunas tesis de la biblioteca solo están disponibles en microfichas .

microfilm

microfilm nombre masculino Microfilme .

microfilmadora

microfilmadora nombre femenino Máquina que sirve para microfilmar .

microfilmar

microfilmar verbo transitivo Reproducir en un microfilme imágenes o textos .

microfilme

microfilme nombre masculino Película que se usa principalmente para fijar en ella, en tamaño reducido, imágenes de impresos, manuscritos, etc. , y ampliarlas después en fotografía o proyectadas en una pantalla .SINÓNIMO microfilm .

microfísica

microfísica nombre femenino Parte de la física que se ocupa de los fenómenos atómicos y subatómicos .

microflora

microflora nombre femenino Flora microorgánica de un medio determinado .

microfónico, -ca

microfónico, -ca adjetivo Del micrófono o relacionado con él :sensor microfónico; cable microfónico .

micrófono

micrófono nombre masculino Aparato para transformar las ondas sonoras en energía eléctrica y viceversa en procesos de grabación y reproducción de sonido; consiste esencialmente en un diafragma atraído intermitentemente por un electroimán, que, al vibrar, modifica la corriente transmitida por las diferentes presiones a un circuito :un micrófono de radio; discutir a micrófono cerrado; Alexander Graham Bell creó en 1876 el primer micrófono durante la construcción del teléfono .

microfotografía

microfotografía nombre femenino Fotografía hecha con un microscopio electrónico .SINÓNIMO micrografía .

microgameto

microgameto nombre masculino biol Espermatozoide o gameto masculino, especialmente cuando es móvil y mucho menor que el femenino .

micrografía

micrografía nombre femenino 1 Técnica que se ocupa de la preparación y descripción de objetos vistos con el microscopio .2 Fotografía hecha con un microscopio electrónico .SINÓNIMO microfotografía .

microinyección

microinyección nombre femenino Inyección de elementos microscópicos o una dosis muy pequeña de determinada sustancia :lo último en los institutos de belleza son las microinyecciones de oligoelementos, vitaminas y sustancias tonificantes .

microinyectar

microinyectar verbo transitivo Inyectar elementos microscópicos o una dosis muy pequeña de determinada sustancia :después se microinyectan los espermatozoides en la célula sexual femenina .

microlentilla

microlentilla nombre femenino Lente de contacto .SINÓNIMO lentilla .

microlito

microlito nombre masculino hist Herramienta o instrumento lítico de pequeñas dimensiones .

micromecánica

micromecánica nombre femenino Técnica de inventar, construir, arreglar o manejar máquinas muy pequeñas .

micrometría

micrometría nombre femenino Medición de dimensiones muy pequeñas .

micrométrico, -ca

micrométrico, -ca adjetivo 1 Del micrómetro o relacionado con este instrumento .2 adjetivo De la micrometría o relacionado con ella .

micrómetro

micrómetro nombre masculino 1 Instrumento para medir con gran precisión cantidades lineales o angulares muy pequeñas .2 fís Medida de longitud, de símbolo μm , que es la millonésima parte de un metro :el micrómetro también se denomina ‘micra ’.

micrón

micrón nombre masculino 1 Antigua denominación del micrómetro :en 1968 se decidió proscribir el uso del término ‘micrón ’ y sustituirlo por el de ‘micrómetro ’.2 fís Unidad de presión que equivale a 10 -6 o 10 -3 metros de mercurio .

micronesio, -sia

micronesio, -sia adjetivo 1 Relativo a Micronesia, archipiélago situado en el océano Pacífico, o a sus habitantes .2 adjetivo /nombre masculino y femenino [persona ] Que es de Micronesia .

micronizador

micronizador nombre masculino Aparato que sirve para micronizar :los micronizadores de agua refrescan el ambiente gracias a diminutas gotas de agua que se evaporan de inmediato en contacto con el aire .

micronizar

micronizar verbo transitivo Reducir un cuerpo sólido a partículas microscópicas .

microonda

microonda nombre femenino fís Radiación electromagnética cuya longitud de onda está comprendida entre 1 milímetro y 1 metro, y cuya banda del espectro electromagnético tiene frecuencias entre 300 y 300 000 megahercios :las microondas se pueden propagar por el interior de tubos metálicos . VÉASE horno microondas .

microondas

microondas nombre masculino Horno eléctrico que emite radiaciones electromagnéticas con las que los alimentos se calientan, cuecen o cocinan rápidamente :los alimentos se descongelan rápidamente en el microondas .También horno microondas y horno de microondas .El plural es microondas .

microordenador

microordenador nombre masculino Esp Ordenador de sobremesa que incluye unidad central, teclado, pantalla y una o más unidades de disco y que puede funcionar sin estar conectado a una red informática .SINÓNIMO ordenador personal .

microorganismo

microorganismo nombre masculino Organismo microscópico animal o vegetal :gracias a la descamación de las células muertas y al sudor, la piel se convierte en una barrera casi infranqueable para los microorganismos .SINÓNIMO microbio .

micrópilo

micrópilo nombre masculino biol Apertura a modo de pequeño canal en el óvulo de los vegetales y de algunos animales (insectos y peces ), por el cual penetra el gameto masculino o espermatozoide en la fecundación .

microprocesador

microprocesador nombre masculino Procesador de muy pequeñas dimensiones en el que todos los elementos están agrupados en un solo circuito integrado :un marcapasos cardíaco controlado por un microprocesador .

micropropulsor

micropropulsor nombre masculino Propulsor de poca potencia que sirve para estabilizar un vehículo espacial y ajustar su órbita y orientación .

micropsia

micropsia nombre femenino Trastorno de la visión que consiste en percibir los objetos con un tamaño menor que el real .

microscopia

microscopia o microscopía nombre femenino 1 Construcción y empleo del microscopio .2 Conjunto de métodos empleados en las investigaciones por medio del microscopio :los avances en las técnicas de los análisis químicos y de microscopía electrónica de la primera mitad del siglo xx culminaron en 1944 con el descubrimiento del ácido desoxirribonucleico (ADN ).

microscópico, -ca

microscópico, -ca adjetivo 1 Que se realiza mediante el microscopio :observación microscópica; técnicas microscópicas .2 Que por su pequeñez solamente puede observarse con el microscopio :los caracteres de un ser vivo están archivados en una cinta microscópica muy larga, que es el ácido desoxirribonucleico o ADN; estas aguas sustentan una gran cantidad de algas microscópicas que utilizan como fuente de energía la luz de los largos días del verano ártico .3 [cosa ] Que es extremadamente pequeño :el anillo llevaba engastado un microscópico diamante .SINÓNIMO diminuto, minúsculo .

microscopio

microscopio nombre masculino Instrumento óptico para ampliar la imagen de objetos o seres, o de detalles de estos, tan pequeños que no se pueden ver a simple vista; consta de un sistema de lentes de gran aumento .microscopio electrónico Microscopio que usa electrones para iluminar el objeto que se desea observar y lo refleja en una pantalla fluorescente, obteniéndose imágenes más amplificadas que en un microscopio convencional .

microsegundo

microsegundo nombre masculino Medida de tiempo, de símbolo Ms , que es igual a la millonésima parte de un segundo .

microsurco

microsurco adjetivo /nombre masculino 1 [disco de gramófono ] Que tiene un surco o ranura muy fino en una espiral muy apretada y gira a 33 rpm, lo cual le confiere una duración mayor que los discos de gramófono antiguos :el microsurco apareció en los años cincuenta .2 nombre masculino Ranura o surco de este disco .

microteléfono

microteléfono nombre masculino Teléfono portátil pequeño :nuestro microteléfono pesa menos de 200 gramos, cabe en la palma de la mano y se alimenta mediante baterías recargables .

micrótomo

micrótomo nombre masculino Instrumento que sirve para cortar los objetos o tejidos que se han de observar con el microscopio :con el micrótomo se obtienen secciones muy finas .

microtonalismo

microtonalismo nombre masculino mús Sistema de composición musical en que se usan microtonos :el microtonalismo se emplea, por ejemplo, en el cante flamenco, en composiciones de vanguardia y en algunas músicas orientales .

microtono

microtono nombre masculino mús Intervalo más pequeño que el semitono .

Sanseido Wisdom Dictionary

micro

mi cro /máɪkroʊ /名詞複～s C 1 ｟くだけて｠＝microcomputer .2 超ミニスカート .

micro-

mi cro- /máɪkroʊ /複合要素 ↔macro- 1 小, 微少 ▸ micro cosm 小宇宙 2 小さいものを拡大する ▸ micro scope 顕微鏡 3 顕微鏡的 ▸ micro organism 微生物 4 100万分の1 ▸ micro gram マイクログラム

microbe

mi crobe /máɪkroʊb /名詞 C 微生物 ; 細菌 ; 病原菌 .

microbiological

m ì cro b ì ol ó gical 形容詞微生物学の, 細菌学の .

microbiology

m ì cro bi ó logy 名詞 U 微生物学, 細菌学 .m ì cro bi ó logist 名詞

microbrew

m í cro br è w 名詞 U C 地ビール .

microbrewery

m í cro br è wery 名詞複 -ies C 地ビール醸造業者 .

microbus

m í cro b ù s 名詞 C ｟米｠マイクロバス .

microcassette

m ì cro cass é tte 名詞 C マイクロカセット〘超小型のカセットテープ (レコーダー )〙.

microchip

mi cro chip /máɪkroʊtʃɪ̀p /名詞 C 〘コンピュ〙マイクロチップ .

microclimate

mi cro cli mate (!/máɪkrəklàɪmət /) 名詞 C 微気候, 小気候〘狭い地域の気候〙.

microcomputer

m ì cro comp ú ter 名詞 C ｟やや古｠マイコン, パソコン .

microcosm

mi cro cosm /máɪkrəkɑ̀z (ə )m |-kɔ̀z (ə )m /名詞 C ｟かたく｠小世界, 縮図 (↔macrocosm ).in m í crocosm 小規模に .

microdot

mi cro dot /máɪkrədɑ̀t -|dɔ̀t /名詞 C マイクロドット〘スパイ活動用のマイクロ写真〙.

microeconomics

mi cro e co nom ics /màɪkrəìːkənɑ́mɪks |-nɔ́m -/名詞 U 〖単数扱い〗ミクロ [微視的 ]経済学 (↔macroeconomics ).m ì cro è co n ó mic 形容詞

microelectronics

m ì cro el è ctr ó nics 名詞 U 〖単数扱い〗マイクロ電子工学 .m ì cro el è ctr ó nic 形容詞

microengineering

m í cro engin è ering 名詞 U マイクロエンジニアリング .

microfarad

m ì cro f á rad 名詞 C 〘電〙マイクロファラド〘電気容量の単位; 100万分の1ファラド〙.

microfiche

mi cro fiche /máɪkrəfìːʃ /名詞複～, ～s C U マイクロフィッシュ〘大量の情報をおさめたマイクロフィルム〙.

microfilm

mi cro film /máɪkrəfɪ̀lm /名詞 C U マイクロフィルム〘文献などの縮写用フィルム〙.動詞他動詞 …をマイクロフィルムにとる [化する ].

microfinance

mi cro fi nance (!/máɪkroʊfənæ̀ns |-fàɪnæns /) 名詞 U マイクロファイナンス, 小規模金融〘貧困層低所得層のための小口金融〙.

microgram

mi cro gram ｟英｠-gramme /máɪkrəɡræ̀m /名詞 C マイクログラム〘重さの単位; 100万分の1グラム; ｟略｠μg 〙.

microlight

m í cro l ì ght 名詞 C (1, 2人乗りの )軽量飛行機 .

micromanage

m í cro m à nage 動詞他動詞 …を細目にわたって管理 [統制 ]する .～ment 名詞

micrometer

mi crom e ter /maɪkrɑ́mətə r |-krɔ́mɪ -/名詞 C マイクロメーター〘望遠鏡や顕微鏡に取り付ける装置〙.

micron

mi cron /máɪkrɑn |-krɔn /名詞複～s, micra /máɪkrə /C ミクロン〘長さの単位; 100万分の1メートル; ｟記号｠μ 〙.

Micronesia

Mi cro ne sia /màɪkrəníːʒə, -ʃə |-krə (u )níːziə /名詞ミクロネシア〘太平洋西部の諸島; Mariana, Caroline, Marshall, Gilbertなどを含む〙.

Micronesian

Mi cro ne sian /màɪkrəníːʒ (ə )n, -ʃ (ə )n |-ziən /形容詞ミクロネシア (人 [語 ])の .名詞 C ミクロネシア人 ; U ミクロネシア語 .

microorganism

m ì cro ó rgan ì sm 名詞 C 〘生物〙微生物 (microbe ).

microphone

mi cro phone /máɪkrəfòʊn / (! 強勢は第1音節 ) 〖「micro (小さい )phone (音 )」＞「微音を拡大する装置」〗名詞複～s /-z /C マイクロフォン , マイク (｟くだけて｠mic, mike )▸ speak into a microphone マイクに向かって話す ▸ a built-in microphone 内蔵マイク

microprocessor

mi cro pro ces sor /máɪkrəprɑ̀sesə r |-rə (ʊ )prə̀ʊ -/名詞 C 〘コンピュ〙マイクロプロセッサ〘1つまたは数個のマイクロチップから成る, コンピュータの中央処理装置〙.

microscope

mi cro scope /máɪkrəskòʊp /〖「micro (小さい )scope (見る器械 )」＞「微小を観察する器械」〗名詞複～s /-s /C 顕微鏡 ▸ an electron [atomic force ] microscope 電子 [原子間力 ]顕微鏡 ▸ The tissue has been examined under a microscope .その細胞組織は顕微鏡で検査済みだ p ù t A under the m í croscope A 〈事状況人など〉を詳細に調べる .

microscopic

mi cro scop ic -i cal /màɪkrəskɑ́pɪk |-skɔ́p -//-ɪk (ə )l /形容詞 1 〖通例名詞の前で〗顕微鏡でしか見えない ; 非常に小さい [細かな ].2 〖名詞の前で〗顕微鏡による [での ].m ì cro sc ó p i cal ly 副詞

microscopy

mi cros co py /maɪkrɑ́skəpi |-rɔ́s -/名詞 U 顕微鏡使用 (法 ); 顕微鏡を用いた検査 ; 検鏡 .

microsecond

mi cro sec ond /máɪkrəsèk (ə )nd /名詞 C マイクロ秒〘時間の単位; 100万分の1秒; ｟略｠μs 〙.

microsurgery

m í cro s ù rgery 名詞 U 顕微手術〘顕微鏡下での手術〙.

microwave

mi cro wave /máɪkrəwèɪv /名詞 C 1 電子レンジ (microwave oven ) (!electric rangeはコンロ, オーブン付きの電気レンジ ) ▸ Place the bowl in the microwave , and heat it up .｟レシピ｠ボールをレンジに入れて温めます 2 〘電〙マイクロ波, 極超短波 .動詞他動詞 …を電子レンジで調理する, 電子レンジにかける .m í cro w à v (e )a ble 形容詞電子レンジ調理が可能な .