Meaning & use
microchipped
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“microchipped” is a form of “microchip”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Having a very small electronic device placed under the skin, usually so that an animal or person can be identified.
Grammar: Comes before the noun it describes: a microchipped dog. It is not usually used after a verb in this sense.
Patterns
- a microchipped pet
- a microchipped animal
- be microchipped
All the dogs at the shelter are microchipped before they go to new homes.
The vet scanned the microchipped cat and found the owner's phone number in seconds.
Our rabbit is microchipped, so we would get a call if she ever got lost.
verbtransitive
Past tense and past participle of microchip: to put a very small electronic device under the skin of an animal or person.
Grammar: The base form is microchip; use microchipped for the past and for the passive: they microchipped the puppy / the puppy was microchipped.
Patterns
- microchip an animal
- have something microchipped
- be microchipped by someone
We microchipped our puppy as soon as the vet said it was safe.
She has microchipped every cat she has ever adopted.
The rescue center microchipped all twelve kittens last week.
Word forms
| base form | microchip |
|---|---|
| third person singular | microchips |
| past tense | microchipped |
| past participle | microchipped |
| -ing form | microchipping |
Common combinations
- microchipped pet
- Many landlords now ask whether you have a microchipped pet.
- get your dog microchipped
- It is cheap to get your dog microchipped at the local clinic.
- be microchipped for identification
- All racehorses must be microchipped for identification.
- a microchipped passport
- Some countries issue a microchipped passport that opens an electronic gate.
- have your cat microchipped
- You should have your cat microchipped before you let it outside.
Synonyms and how they differ
- chipped
- Shorter and more informal; it usually means the same thing, but it can also mean 'broken in a small piece', so microchipped is clearer.
- tagged
- Often means a visible tag or label is attached, not a device under the skin.
Word family
Commonly confused: microchipped or microchip? microchipped or chipped?
microchipped vs microchip
Microchip is the base form and the noun; microchipped is the past form and the adjective. Say 'the cat is microchipped', not 'the cat is microchip'.
microchipped vs chipped
Chipped can mean 'having a microchip' but also 'damaged with a small piece missing', so it is less exact.
Practice
Which sentence uses microchipped correctly?
Choose one answer.
After 'yesterday' we need the past tense, and the past tense of microchip is microchipped, so option 0 is right. Option 1 uses the base form, option 2 uses the -ing form with no helping verb, and option 3 mixes 'is' with the base form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “microchipped”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.