a device used in microanalysis that focuses radiation on a small area of a sample, exciting secondary radiation for analysis
microprobe in American English
(ˈmaikrəˌproub)
noun
1. Chemistry
a device used to excite radiation by a material in order to determine chemical orelemental composition from the emission spectrum produced
2. Surgery
a miniature probe for use in microsurgery
Word origin
[1955–60; micro- + probe]This word is first recorded in the period 1955–60. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: cassette, geodesic dome, life-support, new wave, rolloutmicro- is a combining form with the meanings “small” (microcosm; microgamete), “very small in comparison with others of its kind” (microcomputer; microlith), “too small to be seen by the unaided eye” (microfossil; microorganism), “dealing with extremely minute organisms, organic structures, or quantities ofa substance” (microdissection; microscope), “localized, restricted in scope or area” (microburst; microhabitat), “(of a discipline) focusing on a restricted area” (microeconomics), “containing or dealing with texts that require enlargement to be read” (microfilm; microreader), “one millionth” (microgram)
Examples of 'microprobe' in a sentence
microprobe
He established an electron microprobe laboratory which became a world-class centre.