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

In-hover power consumption averaged around 400 watts. —New Atlas, 27 Feb. 2026

This will exceed the chipmaker's current Grace Blackwell computing platform, and is expected to deliver 10 times more performance per watt. —Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026

Georgians have been rightfully concerned that expensive power grid expansions and watt-hungry data centers will balloon customer costs, among other ill effects. —Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 26 Feb. 2026

That said, the 1,050-watt heating element isn’t as efficient as that of other units. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026

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