ohm

[ ohm ]

/ oʊm /

Save This Word!

Definition of ohm

noun

the standard unit of electrical resistance in the International System of Units (SI), formally defined to be the electrical resistance between two points of a conductor when a constant potential difference applied between these points produces in this conductor a current of one ampere. The resistance in ohms is numerically equal to the magnitude of the potential difference. Symbol: Ω

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of ohm

First recorded in 1861; named after G. S. Ohm

OTHER WORDS FROM ohm

ohm·ic

[oh-mik], /ˈoʊ mɪk/, adjective

Words nearby ohm

Ohio, Ohio buckeye, Ohio River, Öhlenschläger, Ohlin, ohm, ohmage, ohmic, ohmic resistance, ohmmeter, O.H.M.S.

Other definitions for ohm (2 of 2)

Ohm

[ ohm ]

/ oʊm /

noun

Ge·org Si·mon,

[gey-awrk-zee-mawn] /geɪˈɔrk ˈzi mɔn/ 1787–1854, German physicist.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use ohm in a sentence

I enlisted my spouse, who has a mechanical engineering degree they haven’t used in a decade, but at least some latent understanding of Ohm’s law.
I Nearly Set My House on Fire Trying to Make the Lightning Mushroom From ‘Ratatouille’|Jaya Saxena|September 27, 2021|Eater
After much manœuvring about the Lahn, no way seemed possible for them save by crossing the Ohm.
The Political History of England - Vol. X.|William Hunt
His paper abounds with simple and practical formula: for the calculation of currents and resistances by the law of Ohm.
Heroes of the Telegraph|J. Munro
If R be still further increased, Ohm's law applies, and the current diminishes.
Scientific American Supplement, Vol. XV., No. 388, June 9, 1883|Various

At Portrush the resistance of a mile, including the return by earth and the ground rails, is actually about 0.23 ohm.
Scientific American Supplement, Vol. XV., No. 388, June 9, 1883|Various
The resistance of dry cells varies from less than 0.1 of an ohm when new to several ohms when old.
Physics|Willis Eugene Tower

British Dictionary definitions for ohm (1 of 2)

ohm

/ (əʊm) /

noun

the derived SI unit of electrical resistance; the resistance between two points on a conductor when a constant potential difference of 1 volt between them produces a current of 1 ampereSymbol: Ω

Word Origin for ohm

C19: named after Georg Simon Ohm

British Dictionary definitions for ohm (2 of 2)

Ohm

/ (əʊm) /

noun

Georg Simon (ˈɡeːɔrk ˈziːmɔn). 1787–1854, German physicist, who formulated the law named after him

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

Medical definitions for ohm

ohm

[ ōm ]

n. Symbol Ω

A unit of electrical resistance equal to that of a conductor in which a current of one ampere is produced by a potential of one volt across its terminals.

Scientific definitions for ohm (1 of 2)

ohm

[ ōm ]

The SI derived unit used to measure the electrical resistance of a material or an electrical device. One ohm is equal to the resistance of a conductor through which a current of one ampere flows when a potential difference of one volt is applied to it.

Scientific definitions for ohm (2 of 2)

Ohm

Georg Simon 1789-1854

German physicist who discovered the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit, now known as Ohm's law. The ohm unit of electrical resistance is named for him.

Cultural definitions for ohm

ohm

[ (ohm) ]

The unit of electrical resistance, named after the nineteenth-century German physicist Georg Ohm.