macroscopic
Americanadjective
-
visible to the naked eye.
-
pertaining to large units; comprehensive.
adjective
-
large enough to be visible to the naked eye Compare microscopic
-
comprehensive; concerned with large units
-
physics capable of being described by the statistical properties of a large number of parts
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of macroscopic
Explanation
Macroscopic things are large enough to be seen without using a microscope. Many creatures, from ants to elephants, are macroscopic. Macroscopic is the opposite of microscopic, which describes anything you need a microscope to see. A scientist might use macroscopic to talk about the regular view of an object, when you're looking at it unaided by any magnification device. The macroscopic view of a leaf is quite different from the microscopic, which reveals the molecules that comprise it. Macro- means "large," from the Greek root makros, "long or large."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That result raised a larger question: Could quantum vacuum fluctuations also be used to control macroscopic quantum states?
From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026
This compact book weaves together topics including the microscopic quantum tunneling required for nuclear fusion and the macroscopic geometry of spacetime.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
“Chemotherapy is much more effective at eradicating minimal disease than it is macroscopic disease that you can already see on imaging.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
In the words of the committee, "the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit".
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025
But no writer can leave the macroscopic organization of a text to chance.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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