phasor

American  

[fey-zer] / ˈfeɪ zər /

noun

Physics.

1. a vector that represents a sinusoidally varying quantity, as a current or voltage, by means of a line rotating about a point in a plane, the magnitude of the quantity being proportional to the length of the line and the phase of the quantity being equal to the angle between the line and a reference line.

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phasor British  

/ ˈfeɪzɔː /

noun

1. electrical engineering a rotating vector representing a quantity, such as an alternating current or voltage, that varies sinusoidally

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Etymology

Origin of phasor

First recorded in 1940–45; phase + (vect)or

Example Sentences

As Mr. Lemme spoke, he looked at a real-time display of phasor measurement units across the state.

From New York Times • Aug. 1, 2013

The network of phasor measurement units offers a technological advantage.

From New York Times • Aug. 1, 2013

But by the end of 2014, officials at the Energy Department said, they anticipate that all 1,000 phasor measurement units will be in operation and linked to one another.

From New York Times • Aug. 1, 2013

Now, a decade after the largest blackout in American history, engineers are installing and linking 1,000 of those instruments, called phasor measurement units, to try to prevent another catastrophic power failure.

From New York Times • Aug. 1, 2013

So far hundreds of phasor measurement units have been installed across the country, including 48 in New York.

From New York Times • Aug. 1, 2013