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Synonyms

millisecond

American  
[mil-uh-sek-uhnd] / ˈmɪl əˌsɛk ənd /

noun

  1. one thousandth of a second. msec


millisecond British  
/ ˈmɪlɪˌsɛkənd /

noun

  1. ms. one thousandth of a second

"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

Etymology

Origin of millisecond

First recorded in 1905–10; milli- + second 2


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:

Attorneys on both sides played and replayed the footage over and over, sometimes slowed down to the millisecond in order to show how Jones and his colleagues had approached the incident.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026

"I would say they were a millisecond, like the fastest a camera shutter can open and close," added Wiseman, who said the flashes were "white to bluish white."

From Barron's ● Apr. 8, 2026

“As a user,” Krug argues, “I should never have to devote a millisecond of thought to whether things are clickable—or not.”

From Slate ● Apr. 4, 2026

A millisecond used to be a big deal for the world’s quickest traders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025

“Not yet . . . not yet . . .” Thomas hated every millisecond of waiting.

From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner

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