Bacterioscopy

/ˌbæktɪriˈɑskəpi/ noun

Definition

The examination or observation of bacteria under a microscope; the technique of using microscopy to study bacterial cells.

Etymology

From 'bacterio-' (bacteria) + '-scopy' (from Greek 'skopein,' meaning to look at or examine), a technical term from the 19th century describing the actual procedure of viewing bacteria microscopically.

Kelly Says

Bacterioscopy was one of the most important tools ever invented for human progress—by letting scientists actually see bacteria, it made disease's true cause visible and launched the age of modern medicine.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.