watt

noun

ˈwät 

: the absolute meter-kilogram-second unit of power equal to the work done at the rate of one joule per second or to the power produced by a current of one ampere across a potential difference of one volt : 1/746 horsepower

Examples of watt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For the grid, cost per kilowatt-hour of storage matters more than squeezing out a few extra watts per kilogram. —Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 6 Jan. 2026

Enjoy the ride while listening to the 17-speaker, 1,220-watt Burmester surround-sound system. —James Raia, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026

The first ball, measuring 5 feet in diameter and weighing 700 pounds, was made of iron and wood and was covered with 100 25-watt light bulbs. —Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025

It was made of iron and wood and adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs. —Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

James Watt †1819

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing watt

• watt-hour

Rhymes for watt

• aught
• baht
• blot
• bott
• bought
• brought
• caught
• clot
• cot
• cott
• dot
• fought

Kids Definition

watt

noun

ˈwät 

: a unit of power equal to the work done at the rate of one joule per second

Etymology

named for James Watt 1736–1819 Scottish engineer

Medical Definition

watt

noun

ˈwät 

: the absolute mks unit of power equal to the work done at the rate of one joule per second or to the power produced by a current of one ampere across a potential difference of one volt : ¹/₇₄₆ horsepower

Biographical Definition

Watt

biographical name

ˈwät 

James 1736–1819 Scottish inventor