millisecond

noun

mil·​li·​sec·​ond ˈmi-lə-ˌse-kənd How to pronounce millisecond (audio)
-kənt
: one thousandth of a second

Did you know?

A millisecond isn't long enough for the blink of an eye, but a few milliseconds may determine the winner of a swim race or a hundred-yard dash. With the ever-increasing speed of modern technology, even a millisecond has started to seem a little sluggish; computer operations are now measured in nanoseconds—that is, billionths of a second.

Examples of millisecond in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The screen size and resolution remained unchanged, but the new E Ink technology improved scribble speeds using the pen stylus – with latency reported to be under 30 milliseconds. Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 14 Feb. 2025 But the faults had been so substantial that their weakening pulses propagated in a matter of milliseconds across Whisker Labs’ western network — southeast to Phoenix; north to San Jose, Calif., and Portland, Ore.; east to Las Vegas; and northeast to Salt Lake City. Ivan Penn, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2025 The flashes release more energy in milliseconds than the sun does in a day. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025 When that sheet was pressed against sections of wet ice, the nanoparticles drew the liquid water up into the grooves, creating suction that pulled the material down into contact with the underlying solid ice within just 1.5 milliseconds. Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 2 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for millisecond 

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of millisecond was in 1909

Dictionary Entries Near millisecond

Cite this Entry

“Millisecond.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/millisecond. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

millisecond

noun
mil·​li·​sec·​ond ˈmil-ə-ˌsek-ənd How to pronounce millisecond (audio)
 also  -ənt
: one thousandth of a second

Medical Definition

millisecond

noun
mil·​li·​sec·​ond ˈmil-ə-ˌsek-ənd, -ənt How to pronounce millisecond (audio)
: one thousandth of a second
abbreviation ms, msec
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!