microscopical

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *mey-der.?

Ancient Greek μῑκρός (mīkrós)

Proto-Indo-European *speḱ-

Proto-Indo-European *-yeti

Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti

Proto-Hellenic *sképt͏̌omai

Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai)

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Indo-European *-ós

Proto-Hellenic *-ós

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Ancient Greek -ος (-os)influ.

Ancient Greek -ός (-ós)

Ancient Greek σκοπός (skopós)

Proto-Indo-European *-eti

Proto-Indo-European *-eyéti

Proto-Indo-European *-esyéti

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti

Proto-Indo-European *-yeti

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti

Proto-Indo-European *-yeti

Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti

Ancient Greek -έω (-éō)

Ancient Greek σκοπέω (skopéō)

Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós

Proto-Italic *-ijos

Proto-Italic *-ios

Old Latin -ios

Latin -iusnom.

Latin -ium

Latin mīcroscopiumlbor.

Italian microscopiobor.

English microscope

Proto-Indo-European *-kos

Proto-Indo-European *-ikos

Proto-Italic *-ikos

Latin -icuslbor.

Old French -iquebor.

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Latin -icusbor.

Middle English -ic

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālislbor.

Old French -albor.

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Latin -ālis

Old French -elbor.

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Latin -ālisbor.

Middle English -al

Middle English -ical

English -ical

English microscopical

From microscope + -ical. Compare microscopic.

Pronunciation

Rhymes: -ɒpɪkəl

Adjective

microscopical (comparative more microscopical, superlative most microscopical)

Pertaining to the microscope; achieved by means of a microscope. [from 17th c.]
(now rare) Only visible by means of a microscope; very small, microscopic. [from 17th c.]
- 1665, Robert Hooke, Micrographia, section XVIII:
  I have observed in green Wood all those long Microscopical pores which appear in Charcoal perfectly empty of any thing but Air.

Derived terms