The combining form micro- has several meanings.
Meaning 1: small, minute
- MVD, or microvascular disease, affects the smallest blood vessels in the body.
- Microchipping—the insertion of a tiny computer chip under the skin—is a safe method of identifying your pet if it gets lost.
Meaning 2: one millionth
- A microgram is one millionth of a gram.
Meaning 3: underdevelopment
- A person who suffers from micropodia has abnormally small feet.
Meaning 4: involving a microscope
- A micrometer is used to measure objects viewed through a microscope.
Copyright notice for Writing Tips Plus
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Search by related themes
Want to learn more about a theme discussed on this page? Click on a link below to see all the pages on the Language Portal of Canada that relate to the theme you selected. The search results will be displayed in Language Navigator.
Related links
- Writing Tips Plus (home page)
- Writing tools
- Language Navigator (for fast access to language tips)
- TERMIUM Plus®