micro

¹ American  

[mahy-kroh] / ˈmaɪ kroʊ /

adjective

1. extremely small.

2. minute in scope or capability.

3. of or relating to microcomputers.

4. of or relating to microeconomics.

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noun

plural

micros

1. anything extremely small in scope or capability.

2. a microcomputer.

3. microeconomics.

micro- ² American  

especially before a vowel, micr-.

1. a combining form with the meanings “small” (microcosm; microgamete ), “very small in comparison with others of its kind” (microcassette; microlith ), “too small to be seen by the unaided eye” (microfossil; microorganism ), “dealing with extremely minute organisms, organic structures, or quantities of a substance” (microdissection; microscope ), “localized, restricted in scope or area” (microburst; microhabitat ), “(of a discipline) focusing on a restricted area” (microeconomics ), “containing or dealing with texts that require enlargement to be read” (microfilm; microreader ), “one millionth” (microgram ).

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micro- ¹ British  

combining form

1. small or minute

   microspore

2. involving the use of a microscope

   micrography

3. indicating a method or instrument for dealing with small quantities

   micrometer

4. (in pathology) indicating abnormal smallness or underdevelopment Compare macro-

   microcephaly

   microcyte

5.  μ.  denoting 10 ^–6

   microsecond

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micro ² British  

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊ /

adjective

1. very small

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noun

1. short for microcomputer microlepidoptera microprocessor microwave oven

micro– Scientific  

1. A prefix that means: “small” (as in microorganism) or “one millionth” (as in microsecond).

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Usage

What does micro- mean? Micro- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “small.” In units of measurement, micro- means "one millionth." The form micro- is often used in a variety of scientific and technical terms.Micro- comes from Greek mīkrós, meaning “small.” The Latin equivalent of mīkrós is parvus, also meaning “small,” which is the source of terms such as parvovirus, a type of virus with a name that literally means “small poison.” To learn more, check out our entry for parvovirus.What are variants of micro-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, micro- becomes micr-, as in micrify, which comes from the Latin equivalent of the form. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article about micr-.

Etymology

Origin of micro¹

Independent use of micro-, or shortening of words with this initial element

Origin of micro-¹

< Greek: combining form representing mīkrós small

Example Sentences

The bank remains confident of outpacing industry loan growth, guiding for 13%-14% growth in FY 2026, mainly driven by the retail, agriculture, and micro, small and medium enterprises segments.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The macro tailwinds are there. They’re just not powerful enough to override the micro headwinds facing the market today.”

From MarketWatch

Ms. Mazzeo alternates between the macro and micro, now giving us detailed genealogies, now discussing the shipbuilding industry and the place of women in 19th-century society.

From The Wall Street Journal

A micro artist says he has beaten his own world record by creating the smallest handmade sculpture ever.

From BBC

Overall: TWLO’s micro fundamentals are improving, but it is aligned with the current macro regime.

From Barron's

Related Words

• compact
• mini
• pocket
• pocket-size
• portable
• scaled-down
• small