British thermal unit
the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound (0.4 kilogram) of water 1°F. Abbreviation: Btu, BTU, B.t.u., B.T.U., B.th.u.
Origin of British thermal unit
1Words Nearby British thermal unit
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for British thermal unit
a unit of heat in the fps system equal to the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1°F. 1 British thermal unit is equivalent to 1055.06 joules or 251.997 calories: Abbrevs: btu, BThU
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for British thermal unit
[ brĭt′ĭsh ]
A unit used mainly to measure heat but also applied to other forms of energy. One British thermal unit is equal to the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit, or 251.997 calories.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for British thermal unit
A unit for measuring heat. One Btu raises the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit (see also Fahrenheit).
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Browse