microcontroller

M3I1C3R1O1C3O1N1T1R1O1L1L1E1R1
UK/ˈmaɪkɹə(ʊ)kənˌtɹəʊlə/US/ˈmaɪkɹoʊkənˌtɹoʊlɚ/

noun

A microcomputer on a single chip, used to control some device such as an automobile engine or a toy.

OriginEnglish controller ← Ancient Greek μῑκρο- (mīkro-) ← Proto-Indo-European *mey-der.? →
Less commonScrabble 21
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounmicrocontroller (plural microcontrollers)

plural microcontrollers · alternative µC · alternative uC · alternative MCU

  1. businessA microcomputer on a single chip, used to control some device such as an automobile engine or a toy.

    The microcontroller is a mini computer which can be programmed to perform different tasks, including monitoring things and making things happen. It is pre-programmed for use with the games projects. See project 17 for how to select games on it.

    2021 December 28, “Snap Circuits Arcade”, in Snap Circuits, Elenco, page 6

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mey-der.?
  2. Ancient Greekμῑκρός (mīkrós)
  3. Ancient Greekμῑκρο- (mīkro-)
  4. Englishmicro-
  5. Englishcontroller
  6. Englishmicrocontroller

From micro- + controller.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 單片機 /单片机
  • 單片機 /单片机 (dānpiànjī)microcomputer on a single chip
Dutch microcontroller
  • microcontrollermicrocomputer on a single chip
Finnish mikrokontrolleri, mikro-ohjain
  • mikrokontrollerimicrocomputer on a single chip
  • mikro-ohjainmicrocomputer on a single chip
French microcontrôleur
  • microcontrôleurmicrocomputer on a single chip
German Mikrocontroller
  • Mikrocontrollermicrocomputer on a single chip
Greek μικροελεγκτής
  • μικροελεγκτής (mikroelegktís)microcomputer on a single chip
Indonesian mikrokontroler, mikropengendali
  • mikrokontrolermicrocomputer on a single chip
  • mikropengendalimicrocomputer on a single chip
Japanese マイクロコントローラ, マイコン
  • マイクロコントローラ (maikurokontorōra)microcomputer on a single chip
  • マイコン (maikon)microcomputer on a single chip
Malay mikropengawal
  • mikropengawalmicrocomputer on a single chip
Russian микроконтро́ллер
  • микроконтро́ллер (mikrokontróller)microcomputer on a single chip
Turkish mikrodenetleyici
  • mikrodenetleyicimicrocomputer on a single chip
Vietnamese vi điều khiển
  • vi điều khiểnmicrocomputer on a single chip
Cite this entry
APA

microcontroller. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microcontroller

MLA

“microcontroller.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microcontroller. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “microcontroller,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microcontroller.

Source: microcontroller on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.