Definition

Noun A unit of time equal to one millionth (10⁻⁶) of a second. It is one thousandth of a millisecond.

Usage

The word "microsecond" is a precise, scientific term used to measure extremely short durations. It is commonly used in fields like computing, physics, telecommunications, and engineering. * The processor can execute an instruction in a few microseconds. * The laser pulse lasts only 50 microseconds. * In network engineering, latency is often measured in microseconds.

Advanced Usage

• "Within microseconds": Used to emphasize that an event happens almost instantaneously.
  • The safety system triggers within microseconds of detecting a fault.
• "Microsecond precision/timing": Refers to the ability to measure or control events with an accuracy of one microsecond.
  • The experiment requires microsecond timing to capture the particle decay.

Variants and Related Words

• Nanosecond (n): One billionth (10⁻⁹) of a second; one thousandth of a microsecond.
• Millisecond (n): One thousandth (10⁻³) of a second; one thousand microseconds.
• Micro- (prefix): A prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of one millionth (10⁻⁶).

Synonyms

• μs (symbol): The standard scientific symbol for microsecond.
• One millionth of a second: The descriptive definition.

Related Phrases

• Per microsecond: Indicating a rate or frequency.
  • The device can perform 10,000 operations per microsecond.

Noun

1. one millionth (10^-6) of a second; one thousandth of a millisecond