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  • gauss
    gauss
    noun
    the centimeter-gram-second unit of magnetic induction, equal to the magnetic induction of a magnetic field in which one abcoulomb of charge, moving with a component of velocity perpendicular to the field and equal to one centimeter per second, is acted on by a force of one dyne; 1 maxwell per square centimeter or 10− 4 weber per square meter. G
  • Gauss
    Gauss
    noun
    Karl Friedrich 1777–1855, German mathematician and astronomer.

gauss

1 American  
[gous] / gaʊs /

noun

Electricity.
  1. the centimeter-gram-second unit of magnetic induction, equal to the magnetic induction of a magnetic field in which one abcoulomb of charge, moving with a component of velocity perpendicular to the field and equal to one centimeter per second, is acted on by a force of one dyne; 1 maxwell per square centimeter or 10− 4 weber per square meter. G

  2. (formerly) oersted.


Gauss 2 American  
[gous] / gaʊs /

noun

  1. Karl Friedrich 1777–1855, German mathematician and astronomer.


Gauss 1 British  
/ ɡaus, ˈɡaʊsɪən /

noun

  1. Karl Friedrich (karl ˈfriːdrɪç). 1777–1855, German mathematician: developed the theory of numbers and applied mathematics to astronomy, electricity and magnetism, and geodesy

"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

gauss 2 British  
/ ɡaʊs /

noun

  1. the cgs unit of magnetic flux density; the flux density that will induce an emf of 1 abvolt (10 –8 volt) per centimetre in a wire moving across the field at a velocity of 1 centimetre per second. 1 gauss is equivalent to 10 –4 tesla

"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

Gauss 1 Scientific  
  1. German mathematician, astronomer and physicist who introduced significant and rapid advances to mathematics with his contributions to algebra, geometry, statistics and theoretical mathematics. He also correctly calculated the orbit of the asteroid Ceres in 1801 and studied electricity and magnetism, developing the magnetometer in 1832. The gauss unit of magnetic flux density is named for him.


gauss 2 Scientific  
/ gous /
  1. The unit of magnetic flux density in the centimeter-gram-second system, equal to one maxwell per square centimeter, or 10 −4 tesla.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of gauss

First recorded in 1880–85; named after K. F. Gauss

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Its core will shrink and start trapping all the star's powerful magnetic field lines, creating a highly magnetic neutron star —a magnetar — with a magnetic field of 100 trillion gauss.

From Space Scoop Aug. 23, 2023

New data of the star when observed from a ‘magnetic point-of-view’ showed it has a powerful magnetic field, about 43,000 gauss — the most powerful ever found in a massive star.

From Space Scoop Aug. 23, 2023

Compared to our sun's one gauss, this makes HD 45166 the most magnetic massive star ever discovered.

From Salon Aug. 18, 2023

Studying the star in more detail, Shenar’s team discovered this was a particularly unusual Wolf-Rayet star with a magnetic field of 43,000 gauss.

From Scientific American Aug. 17, 2023

The effect of these modifications was to increase the field strength at the center of the pole gap from 15,000 to 23,400 gauss.

From LRL Accelerators The 184-Inch Synchrocyclotron by Laboratory, Lawrence Radiation

Riemann’s Ph.D. adviser, the legendary Carl Friedrich Gauss, tasked him with revamping geometry to better handle curved spaces and more dimensions than three.

From Slate Jun. 22, 2026

Some AI features are offered by connecting to outside services via the cloud, while others run locally on the device using Samsung’s proprietary generative AI model called Gauss, Kang said.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 25, 2026

The authors acknowledged the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing e.V. for funding this project by providing computing time on the GCS Supercomputer SuperMUC-NG at the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre.

From Science Daily Jun. 18, 2024

Headquartered in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Gauss Fusion's roadmap sees the company opening fusion power plants by the beginning of the 2040s.

From BBC Oct. 12, 2023

In the 1830s Gauss realized that each complex number—numbers that have real and imaginary parts, like 1 – 2i—can be displayed on a Cartesian grid.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

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