Definition

1. Noun:
   • A unit of power: A watt is the standard unit of power in the International System of Units (SI). It measures the rate of energy conversion or transfer. One watt is defined as one joule of energy per second.
   • A person (James Watt): Watt is also the surname of James Watt, a Scottish engineer and inventor famous for his improvements to the steam engine, which were fundamental to the Industrial Revolution.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Unit):
  • This energy-efficient light bulb uses only 9 watts.
  • The power output of the engine is measured in kilowatts (thousands of watts).
• Noun (Person):
  • The steam engine was revolutionized by the innovations of James Watt.
  • The unit of power, the watt, is named after the inventor James Watt.

Advanced Usage

• "Wattage": This is the related term for the amount of electrical power expressed in watts.
  • Check the wattage of the appliance before plugging it in.
• "Watt-hour": A unit of energy equivalent to one watt of power expended for one hour. It is commonly used on electricity bills.
  • My electricity consumption last month was 500 kilowatt-hours.

Variants and Related Words

• Kilowatt (kW): A unit of power equal to 1,000 watts.
• Megawatt (MW): A unit of power equal to 1,000,000 watts.
• Gigawatt (GW): A unit of power equal to 1,000,000,000 watts.
• Wattmeter: An instrument for measuring electric power in watts.

Synonyms

• Unit of Power: (No direct synonym, but related terms include) Horsepower (a different, non-SI unit of power, approximately equal to 746 watts).

Related Phrases

• "Watt per square meter": A derived unit used in radiometry to measure irradiance (power per unit area).
  • Solar irradiance is often measured in watts per square meter.

Noun

1. Scottish engineer and inventor whose improvements in the steam engine led to its wide use in industry (1736-1819)
2. a unit of power equal to 1 joule per second; the power dissipated by a current of 1 ampere flowing across a resistance of 1 ohm