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Where does the word "microscope" come from? It comes from Greek mikros, and was adopted directly into English (1650s).
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Where does the word "microscope" come from? It comes from Greek mikros, and was adopted directly into English (1650s).
Microscope’s story begins in Greek: mikros meant “small.” Small, combined with skopein (to view) for viewing tiny things. It reached English by 1650s as microscope. Coined for the new instrument revealing the invisibly small. Today, microscope means an instrument used to view objects too small for the naked eye.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient mikros "small", small, combined with skopein (to view) for viewing tiny things.
- Stage 2 · English · 1650s microscope "an instrument for viewing tiny objects", coined for the new instrument revealing the invisibly small.