unit

noun

\ ˈyü-nət

Definition of unit

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : the first and least natural number : one

b : a single quantity regarded as a whole in calculation

2 : a determinate quantity (as of length, time, heat, or value) adopted as a standard of measurement: such as

a : an amount of work used in education in calculating student credits

b : an amount of a biologically active agent (such as a drug or antigen) required to produce a specific result — compare international unit

3a : a single thing, person, or group that is a constituent of a whole

b : a part of a military establishment that has a prescribed organization (as of personnel and materiel)

c : a piece or complex of apparatus serving to perform one particular function

d : a part of a school course focusing on a central theme

e : a local congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

f : a small molecule especially when combined in a larger molecule repeating units of a polymer

g : an area in a medical facility and especially a hospital that is specially staffed and equipped to provide a particular type of care an intensive care unit

unit

adjective

Definition of unit (Entry 2 of 2)

: being, relating to, or measuring one unit

Examples of unit in a Sentence

Noun

The family is the basic unit of society. The search party broke up into smaller units. Their army unit guarded the border. Feet and meters are units of length. The dollar is the principal unit of American currency.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Take-Two in its statement Tuesday said the 2018 version of NBA 2K sold a franchise record of 10 million units to day. — Sarah E. Needleman, WSJ, "NBA Inks Billion-Dollar Deal With Maker of 2K Videogame," 15 Jan. 2019 Moral of the story: your home needs a home security system—particularly a Ring doorbell or any other smart doorbell unit. — Taylor Mead, House Beautiful, "The Man Caught Licking Someone's Doorbell For 3 Hours Has Been Identified," 9 Jan. 2019 The family will be moving into a new apartment soon: a first-floor unit, safer and with more play space for the newly mobile toddlers. — Tracy Saelinger, Woman's Day, "This Nurse Helps New Moms When They're Most Vulnerable," 8 Jan. 2019 The Cottage is currently split up into five units, but will be undergoing renovations in preparation for the Royals’ arrival. — Tess Garcia, Teen Vogue, "Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Move Out of Kensington Palace in 2019," 24 Nov. 2018 Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs Group dropped 3% after Malaysian authorities filed criminal charges against banking units and a former partner of the firm in connection with the 1MDB financial scandal, the country’s attorney general said. — Jessica Menton, WSJ, "Dow Industrials Fall 508 Points as Investors Fret Over Growth," 18 Dec. 2018 Electronic control units and sensors could track engine performance and make real-time adjustments, improving efficiency. — Blake Z. Rong, Popular Mechanics, "10 Innovations That Made the Modern Car," 4 Dec. 2018 Under her watch, thousands of National Guard units and active-duty military have been deployed to the border (many for no obvious purpose). — Rachel Withers, Vox, "Trump refuses to commit to Kirstjen Nielsen continuing as DHS secretary into the future," 18 Nov. 2018 Its health center has 60 nursing beds, 22 memory support units and 41 assisted living units. — Audrey Mcavoy, The Seattle Times, "Hawaii retirement home clarifies assisted suicide rules," 13 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

20 Jan 2019

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The first known use of unit was in 1570

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More Definitions for unit

unit

noun

English Language Learners Definition of unit

: a single thing, person, or group that is a part of something larger

: a part of a hospital where a particular type of care is provided

: a particular amount of length, time, money, etc., that is used as a standard for counting or measuring

See the full definition for unit in the English Language Learners Dictionary

unit

noun

\ ˈyü-nət

Kids Definition of unit

1 : a single thing, person, or group forming part of a whole There are 36 units in my apartment building.

2 : the least whole number : one

3 : a fixed quantity (as of length, time, or value) used as a standard of measurement An inch is a unit of length.

4 : a part of a school course with a central theme

unit

noun

\ ˈyü-nət

Medical Definition of unit

1 : an amount of a biologically active agent (as a drug or antigen) required to produce a specific result under strictly controlled conditions a unit of penicillin — see international unit

2 : a small molecule especially when combined in a larger molecule repeating units of a polymer

3 : an area in a medical facility and especially a hospital that is specially staffed and equipped to provide a particular type of care an intensive care unit