mic
|mic|
/maɪk/
short for microphone
Etymology
'mic' originates from English, specifically the word 'microphone', where the Greek prefix 'micro-' meant 'small' and 'phone' (from Greek 'phōnē') meant 'sound' or 'voice'.
'microphone' was coined in the 19th century from Greek roots 'mikros' (small) + 'phōnē' (voice/sound); the shortened form 'mic' (and the variant spelling 'mike') arose in the 20th century as an informal abbreviation.
Initially it referred to the device 'microphone'; over time 'mic' has remained shorthand for 'microphone' but also extended to mean a microphone input/channel and, when capitalized as 'MIC', various acronyms in technical fields.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
informal short form of 'microphone' (a device that converts sound into electrical signals).
He grabbed the mic and started singing.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a microphone input, channel, or mic position on audio equipment or a mixing console.
Plug the mic into channel 1 on the mixer.
Synonyms
Noun 3
when written as the acronym 'MIC', it can mean 'minimum inhibitory concentration' in microbiology (the lowest concentration of an antimicrobial that prevents visible growth).
The lab reported an MIC of 2 μg/mL for the antibiotic.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/12/18 02:35