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Glite Dictionary
electron microscope

electron microscope

6 4.3
A machine that uses electrons instead of light to make very large images of tiny things
  • noun
  • /ɪˈlɛktrɒn ˈmaɪkrəˌskoʊp/
  • Specialized
translation icon : microscopio electrónico
  • The scientist used a electron microscope to analyze the structure of the tiny particles.
  • transmission electron microscope
  • scanning electron microscope
  • electron microscope image

Physicists started this with electron microscopes, and it continues today with particle colliders.

Examples

  • ARS technician Leona Horst loads a fuchsia leaf sample into the variable-pressure scanning electron microscope.

    Academic text (2000)

  • At this stage, viewed through a scanning electron microscope, the bud still appears symmetrical from the outside.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Maybe he'll show me his new electron microscope.

    Time Walker (1982)

  • So these are electron microscope images of some of the samples.

  • Much has been done with fiber research, thanks to the electron microscope.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Dave is an expert at using electron microscopes to examine extraterrestrial material in fine detail.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Rachel got to look at samples of Bering Sea water using an electron microscope.

    Academic text (1998)

  • This is a scanning electron microscope picture of rods and cones.

  • The morphology of the lab-made fiber was investigated using the scanning electron microscope.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Researchers discovered new details about the virus using their electron microscope.

Synonyms

microscope
vselectron microscope
102 3.6

A tool that makes very small things look much larger to see details

uses charged particle beams instead of light to reach much higher magnification
SEM
vselectron microscope
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A microscope that uses a beam of electrons to show very small surface details

is the broader instrument that forms highly magnified images using charged beams
field-emission microscope
vselectron microscope
  • Specialized
8.6

A microscope that uses electrons to show a material's surface in very small detail

is the general instrument using charged particle beams not limited to field emission

How Magnified

SEM
  • Specialized
1 6.8
electron microscope
  • Specialized
6 4.3
light microscope
  • Specialized
1 4.1

Surface Forms

electron microscope singular
electron microscopes plural

Morphology

electron + microscope

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'electron' (the particle) modifying 'microscope' — i.e. a microscope that uses electrons. This head-modifier noun compounding is a regular and cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Electron microscope is named from its parts, electron and microscope. It uses a stream of tiny particles called electrons instead of light to create very large images of very small things, so it can 'see' viruses and details normal microscopes cannot.