noun
optical microscope
A microscope that uses visible light and lenses to magnify small objects. Standard scientific term.
光学顕微鏡で細胞の構造を観察した。
We observed the cell structure with an optical microscope.
An electron microscope uses a beam of electrons instead of light, achieving much higher magnification than an optical microscope.
Compound of 光学 (optics) and 顕微鏡 (microscope). The term is a direct calque from Western scientific terminology.