micrometer

¹

especially British, mi·crom·e·tre

[mahy-krom-i-ter]

noun

1. any of various devices for measuring minute distances, angles, etc., as in connection with a telescope or microscope.

2. Also called micrometer caliper. Also called mike. a precision instrument with a spindle moved by a finely threaded screw, for the measurement of thicknesses and short lengths, commonly used by machinists for turning shafts or boring holes.

micrometer

²

[mahy-kroh-mee-ter]

noun

1. micron.

micrometer

/ maɪˈkrɒmɪtə, ˌmaɪkrəʊˈmɛtrɪk /

noun

1. any of various instruments or devices for the accurate measurement of distances or angles

2. Also called: micrometer gauge.  micrometer calliper. a type of gauge for the accurate measurement of small distances, thicknesses, diameters, etc. The gap between its measuring faces is adjusted by a fine screw, the rotation of the screw giving a sensitive measure of the distance moved by the face

micrometer

¹

1. A unit of length in the metric system equal to one millionth (10 ^{- 6}) of a meter.

2. Also called micron

micrometer

²

1. A device for measuring very small distances, angles, or objects, especially one based on the rotation of a finely threaded screw, as in relation to a microscope.

Other Word Forms

• micrometric adjective
• micrometry noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of micrometer¹

First recorded in 1660–70; micro- + -meter

Origin of micrometer²

micro- + meter ¹

Example Sentences

Using powerful microscopes, the researchers discovered that species such as ball pythons, Angolan pythons, and Madagascan tree boas produce urates made up of tiny textured spheres between 1 and 10 micrometers across.

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Gold flakes approximately 10 micrometers in size are placed in a container filled with a salt solution, i.e. water containing free ions.

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To overcome this scale mismatch, the researchers developed a chip-sized spectroscope that compresses THz light -- the range where many quantum effects occur -- from about 1 millimeter down to just 3 micrometers.

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They obtained data of PM concentrations that were 10 micrometers or less and 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter.

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However, they tend to be too small -- just a few tens of micrometers across-for industrial-scale applications and, thus, better suited for lab research.

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