Ma'anar ƙamus na "microtom" kayan aikin kimiyya ne da ake amfani da shi don yankan siraran kayan abu, yawanci nama na halitta, don bincikar ƙananan ƙwayoyin cuta. Ana yawan amfani da Microtomes a cikin binciken likita da nazarin halittu don shirya samfurori don kallo a ƙarƙashin na'urar hangen nesa. Kalmar “microtom” ta samo asali ne daga kalmomin Helenanci “mikros,” ma’ana ƙarami, da “temnein,” ma’ana yanke.