The past decade has seen huge advances in the application of microscopy in all areas of science. This welcome development in microscopy has been paralleled by an expansion of the vocabulary of technical terms used in microscopy: terms have been coined for new instruments and techniques and, as microscopes reach even higher resolution, the use of terms that relate to the optical and physical principles underpinning microscopy is now commonplace.

The Dictionary of Microscopy was compiled to meet this challenge and provides concise definitions of over 2,500 terms used in the fields of light microscopy, electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, x-ray microscopy and related techniques. Written by Dr Julian P. Heath, Editor of Microscopy and Analysis (http://www.microscopy-analysis.com),  the dictionary is intended to provide easy navigation through the microscopy terminology and to be a first point of reference for definitions of new and established terms.

The Dictionary of Microscopy is an essential, accessible resource for:

• students who are new to the field and are learning about microscopes
• equipment purchasers who want an explanation of the terms used in manufacturers' literature
• scientists who are considering using a new microscopical technique
• experienced microscopists as an aide mémoire or quick source of reference
• librarians, the press and marketing personnel who require definitions for technical reports.