micrology

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noun

The study of trivialities and minutiae, or focusing on the small details rather than the whole picture.

OriginAncient Greek μικρολογία →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

nounmicrology (usually uncountable, plural micrologies)

plural micrologies

  1. uncountableusuallyThe study of trivialities and minutiae, or focusing on the small details rather than the whole picture.
  2. uncountableusuallyThat part of science that deals with microscopic objects, or depends on microscopic observation; microscopy.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekμικρολογία“pettiness, stinginess, triviality”
  2. Englishmicrology

Sense 1 is borrowed directly from Ancient Greek μικρολογία (mikrología, “pettiness, stinginess, triviality”), with the suffix reinterpreted as -logy. Sense 2 is micro- + -logy, effectively the same etymological components.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

micrology. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/micrology

MLA

“micrology.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/micrology. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “micrology,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/micrology.

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