What is the difference between microscopic and macroscopic?

"Microscopic" and "macroscopic" are antonyms; the word "microscopic" describes something that is so small that it can only be seen with the aid of a microscope, while "macroscopic" refers either to something that can be seen with the naked eye or, alternatively, something that is large or immense in scale.

The prefixes "micro-" and "macro-" come from Greek words that mean "small" and "large," respectively. The suffix "-scopic" originates with the word "scope," which in turn originates with the Greek word "scopus," which can mean aim, target or object of attention. It appears that the word "macroscopic" originated after the appearance of the word "microscopic."