Illustration of micrometer
- micrometer 2
micrometer
1 of 2noun (1)
mi·crom·e·ter mī-ˈkrä-mə-tər 
1
: an instrument used with a telescope or microscope for measuring minute distances
2
: a caliper for making precise measurements that has a spindle moved by a finely threaded screw
micrometer
2 of 2noun (2)
mi·cro·me·ter ˈmī-krō-ˌmē-tər
: a unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter
called also micron
see Metric System Table
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
French micromètre, from micr- + -mètre -meter
Noun (2)
International Scientific Vocabulary micr- + meter entry 3
First Known Use
Noun (1)
1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (2)
1880, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
micrometer
noun
mi·crom·e·ter mī-ˈkrä-mə-tər
1
: an instrument used with a telescope or microscope for measuring very small distances
2
: an instrument having a rod moved by fine screw threads and used for making exact measurements
Medical Definition
micrometer 1 of 2
noun
mi·crom·e·ter mī-ˈkräm-ət-ər
: an instrument used with a telescope or microscope for measuring minute distances
micrometer
2 of 2noun
mi·cro·me·ter
variants or chiefly British micrometre
ˈmī-krō-ˌmēt-ər
: micron