watt

¹ American  

[wot] / wɒt /

noun

1. the standard unit of power in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one joule per second and equal to the power in a circuit in which a current of one ampere flows across a potential difference of one volt. W, w.

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Watt ² American  

[wot] / wɒt /

noun

1. James, 1736–1819, Scottish engineer and inventor.

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Watt ¹ British  

/ wɒt /

noun

1. James. 1736–1819, Scottish engineer and inventor. His fundamental improvements to the steam engine led to the widespread use of steam power in industry

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watt ² British  

/ wɒt /

noun

1.  W.  the derived SI unit of power, equal to 1 joule per second; the power dissipated by a current of 1 ampere flowing across a potential difference of 1 volt. 1 watt is equivalent to 1.341 × 10 ^–3 horsepower

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watt ¹ Scientific  

/ wŏt /

1. The SI derived unit used to measure power, equal to one joule per second. In electricity, a watt is equal to current (in amperes) multiplied by voltage (in volts).

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Watt ² Scientific  

1. British engineer and inventor who patented a much improved version of the steam engine (1769) and devised the unit of horsepower. The watt unit of power is named for him.

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watt Cultural  

1. The basic unit of power, named after the eighteenth-century Scottish inventor James Watt.

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Etymology

Origin of watt

First recorded in 1882; named after J. Watt

Example Sentences

If your water kettle is 1,500 watts, you would need a battery that’s rated for at least 1,500-watt output.

From The Wall Street Journal

After the initial investment, a heated blanket can save you money on your energy bills, too, typically using 50 to 150 watts per person.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Sunshine" is recorded when the strength of the Sun is at least 120 watts per square metre.

From BBC

Yet, the human brain accomplishes this remarkable learning while consuming only about 20 watts of power, compared to the megawatts required by today's supercomputers.

From Science Daily

“The idea of having to use a broadcast transmitter of 50,000 watts is early 20th century technology,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times