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International System of Units
noun phrase
: a system of units based on the metric system and developed and refined by international convention especially for scientific work
—abbreviation SI
Examples of International System of Units in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Under the International System of Units, which is based on the metric system that the rest of the world uses, a pascal (Pa) is the standard unit of pressure; a pascal is the pressure that the force of one newton puts perpendicularly onto an area of one square meter.
—Matt Crisara, Popular Mechanics, 14 June 2023
In addition to keeping the national time, NIST helps maintain the International System of Units—meters, kilograms, and the like.
—Tom Vanderbilt, Harper's Magazine, 13 Mar. 2023
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Word History
First Known Use
1932, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of International System of Units was
in 1932
Dictionary Entries Near International System of Units
International System of Units
Cite this Entry
“International System of Units.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/International%20System%20of%20Units. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
International System of Units
noun
: a system of units based on the metric system and used by international agreement especially for scientific work
Medical Definition
International System of Units
noun
In·ter·na·tion·al System of Units
ˌint-ər-ˈnash-nəl-, -ənᵊl-
: an internationally accepted system of units based on the metric system and having the meter, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, mole, and candela as base units, the radian and steradian as supplementary units, and deriving all other units from these
—abbreviation SI
called also International System
More from Merriam-Webster on International System of Units
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about International System of Units
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