millisecond
/'mili,sekənd/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- One thousandth (10⁻³) of a second: A unit of time equal to one-thousandth of a second. It is a very short duration used in scientific, technical, and computing contexts.
Usage
The word "millisecond" is a precise, scientific term. It is used to measure extremely brief time intervals, such as reaction times, computer processing speeds, or the duration of electronic signals. It is typically used in its singular or plural form with a numerical value.
Examples
- Noun:
- The computer can process the data in just a few milliseconds.
- A typical human blink lasts about 300 to 400 milliseconds.
- The system's response time must be under 50 milliseconds.
Advanced Usage
- "In the blink of an eye / In a millisecond": Used figuratively to describe something that happens extremely quickly.
- The opportunity was gone in a millisecond.
- Scientific Notation: Often represented as "ms" (e.g., 10 ms delay).
Variants and Related Words
- Microsecond (n): One millionth (10⁻⁶) of a second. (A shorter unit than a millisecond).
- Nanosecond (n): One billionth (10⁻⁹) of a second. (An even shorter unit).
- Second (n): The base unit of time, of which a millisecond is 1/1000th.
Synonyms
- Thousandth of a second: The literal descriptive synonym.
- Ms (abbreviation): The standard written abbreviation.
Related Phrases
- Per millisecond: Indicating a rate (e.g., ).
- Millisecond precision/accuracy: Describing the high level of detail in timing.
Notes
- "Millisecond" is a compound word formed from the prefix "milli-" (meaning one-thousandth) and "second." It follows the standard metric system naming convention.
- It is not typically used in everyday conversation about time, where terms like "instant" or "split second" are more common for informal emphasis on speed.
Noun
- one thousandth (10^-3) of a second