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• hertz
  hertz

  noun

  the standard unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equal to one cycle per second. Hz
• Hertz
  Hertz

  noun

  Gustav 1887–1975, German physicist: Nobel Prize 1925.

hertz

¹ American  

[hurts] / hɜrts /

noun

• hertz,
  plural
• hertzes
  plural

1. the standard unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equal to one cycle per second. Hz

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Hertz ² American  

[hurts, hairts, herts] / hɜrts, hɛərts, hɛrts /

noun

1. Gustav 1887–1975, German physicist: Nobel Prize 1925.

2. Heinrich Rudolph 1857–94, German physicist.

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hertz ¹ British  

/ hɜːts /

noun

1.  Hz.  the derived SI unit of frequency; the frequency of a periodic phenomenon that has a periodic time of 1 second; 1 cycle per second

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Hertz ² British  

/ hɛrts, hɜːts /

noun

1. Gustav (ˈɡʊstaf). 1887–1975, German atomic physicist. He provided evidence for the quantum theory by his research with Franck on the effects produced by bombarding atoms with electrons: they shared the Nobel prize for physics (1925)

2. Heinrich Rudolph (ˈhainrɪç ˈruːdɔlf). 1857–94, German physicist. He was the first to produce electromagnetic waves artificially

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hertz Scientific  

/ hûrts /

1. The SI derived unit used to measure the frequency of vibrations and waves, such as sound waves and electromagnetic waves. One hertz is equal to one cycle per second. The hertz is named after German physicist Heinrich Hertz (1857–1894).

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hertz Cultural  

1. The international unit of frequency: one cycle per second. The abbreviation for hertz is Hz.

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Discover More

Household current (see also current) in the United States is sixty hertz.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Hertzian
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• hertz
  plural
• hertzes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hertz

First recorded in 1925–30; named after H. R. Hertz

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hertz Hertz

The team exposed the turtles to sounds ranging from 50 hertz, which is near the lower limit of human hearing, up to 1,600 hertz.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 5, 2026

But this one had a special addition of LED lights and ‘chakra-aligning’ gemstones that Vargas claimed pulsed at 4 hertz — a frequency she said that’s meant to help the immune system.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 9, 2025

“Is it true?” one asks Hernandez as she tells them about the 528 hertz sound frequency her father asked her to play while he was dying in the hospital.

From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2025

Hangzhou-based Geely says it has solved that problem in its Galaxy E8 electric sedan, which vibrates at 1.25 hertz — the same as a human heartbeat — when the car is driving on undulating terrain.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 18, 2024

They measure it in hertz, which is how many peaks go by per second.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Hertz, who argued the sheriff’s case after Riverside’s county counsel largely sided with the plaintiffs, said Bianco simply exercised his legal discretion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

Pershing Square Capital Management exited its position in Hertz after the company announced an equity offering in June, the hedge fund says.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

Ackman also sold PSH’s stakes in Universal Music and Alphabet in the first half of the year and exited its position in Hertz in July.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

If Hertz does decide you’re responsible, believe me, they’ll contact you.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

As commercial and military vessels became more abundant, the noise background in the oceans, especially at a frequency of twenty Hertz, became noticeable.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan