cover glass: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “cover glass” mean?
A thin, flat piece of glass placed over a specimen on a microscope slide to protect it and flatten it for viewing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A thin, flat piece of glass placed over a specimen on a microscope slide to protect it and flatten it for viewing.
A piece of glass used to cover and protect a fragile item or surface, often in a scientific or laboratory context; can sometimes refer to a protective glass pane in certain constructions or display cases.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. In British English, 'coverslip' is a common single-word variant. In American English, both 'cover glass' and 'coverslip' are used, with 'cover glass' being slightly more formal.
Connotations
Neutral; purely technical.
Frequency
The term is very low frequency in general language but standard within its specialist domain. 'Coverslip' may be the more frequent spoken form in labs.
Grammar
How to Use “cover glass” in a Sentence
place a cover glass over the specimenapply a cover glass to the slidethe cover glass on the slideVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cover glass” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The technician will cover-glass the slide after applying the stain.
American English
- Always cover-glass your specimen to prevent it from drying out.
adjective
British English
- The cover-glass thickness is critical for high-magnification objectives.
American English
- We need to order more cover-glass slides for the lab.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Essential term in biology, histology, pathology, and materials science labs. Used in written lab reports and procedures.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
The primary context. Refers to the specific thin glass square/circle used in microscopy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cover glass”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cover glass”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cover glass”
- Confusing 'cover glass' (the small top piece) with the 'microscope slide' (the larger base piece).
- Using it to refer to a glass cover on a painting or photo frame (use 'glass pane' or 'protective glass').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is most commonly written as two words ('cover glass'), but the single-word form 'coverslip' is equally correct and very common.
Yes, for educational or disposable purposes, plastic coverslips are used, but for high-quality imaging, glass is standard due to its optical properties.
The slide is the larger, rectangular piece of glass that holds the specimen. The cover glass is the much smaller, very thin square or circle of glass placed on top of the specimen on the slide.
Extremely rarely. In non-scientific contexts, people would use terms like 'glass cover', 'protective glass', or 'glass pane'.
A thin, flat piece of glass placed over a specimen on a microscope slide to protect it and flatten it for viewing.
Cover glass is usually technical/scientific in register.
Cover glass: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkʌvə ɡlɑːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkʌvər ɡlæs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a tiny, thin 'blanket' of GLASS that you use to COVER something you're looking at under a microscope.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SHIELD or LID made of glass for a tiny world.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a cover glass?