compound microscope

noun

: a microscope consisting of an objective and an eyepiece mounted in a drawtube

Examples of compound microscope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the compound microscope, invented around 1600, opened up a hidden world of microbes, allowing scientists to start naming them after their shapes, said Richard Barnett, a historian of science in Britain. — New York Times, 2 Mar. 2021 Hooke’s observations were based on a relatively simple compound microscope that had two lenses. — Paul Falkowski, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2015

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of compound microscope was circa 1859

Rhymes for compound microscope

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Browse Nearby Words

compound magnet
compound microscope
compound middle lamella
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Cite this Entry

“Compound microscope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compound%20microscope. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

compound microscope

noun
: a microscope having an objective and an eyepiece in a tube that can be adjusted in length

Medical Definition

compound microscope

noun
: a microscope consisting of an objective and an eyepiece mounted in a telescoping tube

More from Merriam-Webster on compound microscope

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about compound microscope

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