light microscope

English

Noun

light microscope (plural light microscopes)

  1. A scientific instrument which provides a magnified view of very small objects that are illuminated with visible light which then passes through optical lenses.
    • 1942 December 14, “Science: Seeing by Electron Waves”, in Time‎[1], New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 7 May 2023:
      A big world beyond the limits of the ordinary light microscope now lies open to exploration.
    • 1982 October 19, Harold M. Schmeck Jr., “Chemistry prize goes for research into intimate details of virus structure”, in The New York Times‎[2], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 6 May 2023:
      [M]acromolecular assemblies. . ., which include viruses, are too large to study by conventional X-ray diffraction methods, but too small to be seen under a light microscope.
    • 2011 March 2, Steve Connor, “‘Limitless’ microscope to aid virus research”, in The Independent‎[3], London: Independent News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 5 February 2026:
      Unlike the most powerful electron microscopes—which can see down to the scale of individual molecules—or fluorescent-based microscopes—which rely on the use of coloured dyes—the new light microscope does not need to interfere in any way with the living material it is used to study.

Synonyms

Derived terms

  • light microscopy

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See also

Further reading

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