micron

or mi·kron

[ mahy-kron ]

noun

, plural mi·crons, mi·cra [mahy, -kr, uh].

1. Also called micrometer. the millionth part of a meter. : μ, mu
2. Physical Chemistry. a colloidal particle whose diameter is between 0.2 and 10 microns.
3. Physics. a very small unit of pressure, equal to that exerted by a column of mercury 1μ high.

micron

/ ˈmaɪkrɒn /

noun

1. a unit of length equal to 10 ^–6metre. It is being replaced by the micrometre, the equivalent SI unit

micron

/ mī′krŏn′ /

1. See micrometer

Word History and Origins

Origin of micron¹

1880–85; < Greek mīkrón a little, noun use of neuter singular of mīkrós small; -on ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of micron¹

C19: New Latin, from Greek mikros small

Example Sentences

The tiny electrodes were only 17 microns apart -- less than half the width of a human hair -- and the smallest movement of the brain slices could skew their results.

From Science Daily

The team used 31 industrial sandpapers with surfaces of varying roughness, ranging from 1 to 100 microns thick, as experimental targets.

From Science Daily

The resulting artificial lymph node is about 150 microns in size, about twice the width of a human hair.

From Science Daily

While the extracellular membranes in human organs are often less than one micron thick, these polymer membranes are anywhere from 30 to 50 microns, hindering communication between cells and limiting cell growth.

From Science Daily

The first-of-its-kind metafluid uses a suspension of small, elastomer spheres -- between 50 to 500 microns -- that buckle under pressure, radically changing the characteristics of the fluid.

From Science Daily