submicroadj.
/sʌbˈmʌɪkrəʊ/, U.S. /ˌsəbˈmaɪkroʊ/ attributive. Designating something smaller in size or scale than that designated micro; spec. = submicroscopic adj.; (Chemistry) involving amounts smaller than those typical of microanalysis.
ΚΠ
1895 Jrnl. Amer. Chem. Soc. 17 797 The ‘brilliant white radial needles’ [attain]..a very marked development which places them entirely outside the category of micro or sub-micro structure.
1943 Science 8 Jan. 49/1 (caption) Comparison of micro..and submicro techniques of thiamin analysis.
1951 Biol. Bull. 101 87 The sub-micro amounts of V48 were extracted from the titanium powder to give a carrier-free saline solution of radioactive vanadate.
1974 Encycl. Brit. Macropædia IV. 79/2 Samples..can be classified as macro (10−1 g), semi-micro (10−1 − 10−3 g), micro (10−3 − 10−6 g), sub-micro (10−6 − 10−8 g), nanogram (10−9 g), or picogram (10−12 g).
1991 Globe & Mail (Toronto) (Nexis) 12 July Scientists are already at work on a new generation of ‘submicro’ electronics gear measuring 10ths of a micron.
2009 Materials & Design 30 1706/1 Every bundle is composed of tightly packed submicro-scale rods.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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