mi ‧ cro ‧ scope /ˈmaɪkrəskəʊp $ -skoʊp/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Modern Latin ; Origin: microscopium , from micro- ( ⇨ ↑ micro- ) + -scopium (from Greek -skopion 'instrument for seeing' ) ]
1 . a scientific instrument that makes extremely small things look larger
under/through a microscope
Abnormalities in the cells can be seen quite clearly under a microscope.
Each sample was examined through a microscope.
2 . put something under the microscope to examine a situation very closely and carefully:
Our prison system is being put under the microscope after an alarming number of suicides.