noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/maɪˈkɹɒmɪtə/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/maɪˈkɹɑmɪtəɹ/
General-American:[maɪˈkɹɑmɪɾɚ]
UK:/ˈmaɪkɹəˌmiːtə/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:/ˈmaɪkɹoʊˌmiːtəɹ/
US:[ˈmaɪkɹoʊˌmiːɾɚ]
CMU ARPABET:M AY0 K R AA1 M AH0 T ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A device used to measure distance very precisely but within a limited range, especially depth, thickness, and diameter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
US spelling of micrometre (“one-millionth of a metre”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, alt-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
caliper for measuring small distances
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: micrometer gauge, micrometer caliper
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: caliper, calliper
4
noun
Meaning 4
a metric unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: micron
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: metric linear unit
History
Etymology
From French micromètre, equivalent to micro- + -meter.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mey-der.? Ancient Greek μῑκρός (mīkrós) Ancient Greek μῑκρο- (mīkro-)lbor. English micro- English meter English micrometer From micro- (“one millionth”) + meter.
Across languages
Translations
68 source translations are retained for this English entry.
