Micron
/ˈmaɪ.krɒn/noun
A unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter, now called a micrometer.
Did you know?Micron entered scientific English through Greek *mikron* (“small thing”), from *mikros* (“small”), the same ancient root behind words like *microbe* and *microscope*—tools built to reveal worlds once too small to see.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μικρόν (mikron)
“a small thing; the neuter form of 'small'”
Late Latin
Latin
micron
“a small measure or small thing, used in learned scientific contexts”
19th Century
English
micron
“a metric unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter”
Modern English
English
micron
“an obsolete name for the micrometer, still used informally in science and engineering”
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