microswitch

M3I1C3R1O1S1W4I1T1C3H4

noun

An electrical switch that operates with very little travel of (or pressure on) the actuator.

“The left microswitch in my mouse has failed.”

OriginEnglish switch ← Middle Dutch swijchbor.? ← Ancient Greek μῑκρο- (mīkro-) →
UncommonScrabble 23
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Meanings

nounmicroswitch (plural microswitches)

plural microswitches

  1. An electrical switch that operates with very little travel of (or pressure on) the actuator.

    The left microswitch in my mouse has failed.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mey-der.?
  2. Ancient Greekμῑκρός (mīkrós)
  3. Ancient Greekμῑκρο- (mīkro-)
  4. Englishmicro-
  5. Middle Dutchswijchbor.?
  6. Englishswitch
  7. Englishmicroswitch

From micro- + switch.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 微動開關 /微动开关, 微動 /微动
  • 微動開關 /微动开关 (wēidòngkāiguān)electrical switch
  • 微動 /微动 (wēidòng)electrical switch
Czech mikrospínač
  • mikrospínačelectrical switch
Cite this entry
APA

microswitch. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microswitch

MLA

“microswitch.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microswitch. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “microswitch,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microswitch.

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