watt

noun

: 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
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In 1976, construction began on a five-mega watt thermal solar test facility at the Energy Research and Development Administration's Sandia Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025 Featuring more than 600 speakers and pushing over 26,000 watts of power, the system delivered crystal-clear, distortion-free sound up to a quarter-mile away and essentially served as its own monitoring system, with the speakers placed directly behind the band. Anna Tingley, Variety, 27 June 2025 The formula looks like this: Cost = (power (in watts) x time (in hours)) / 1,000 x cost of one kilowatt-hour. John Tufts, USA Today, 27 June 2025 Induction cooktop power is measured in watts, and each burner on the cooktop often offers a different wattage range. Alice Knisley Matthias, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for watt

Word History

Etymology

James Watt †1819

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of watt was in 1882

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Cite this Entry

“Watt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watt. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

watt

noun
: 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
: 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

James 1736–1819 Scottish inventor

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