millisecond

noun

mil·​li·​sec·​ond ˈmi-lə-ˌse-kənd 

-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

Finance, Trading, Market Analysis Market volatility is notoriously difficult to analyze, let alone predict upcoming fluctuations, which means the ability to make decisions and take action in milliseconds can make or break any investment strategy. —Gary Fowler, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

The electronic differential adjusts the torque balance between the left and right rear wheels, going from fully open to fully locked (or vice-versa) in 135 milliseconds. —Dan Carney, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024

This is one of the main reasons HE switches are popular in esports and competitive gaming, where milliseconds matter. —Henri Robbins, WIRED, 4 Nov. 2024

The technology uses an optical scanner trained to spot aluminum in 10-15 milliseconds and then sends a signal to a robotic arm to grab it. —Monica Eng, Axios, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

millisecond

noun

mil·​li·​sec·​ond ˈmil-ə-ˌsek-ənd 

 also  -ənt

: one thousandth of a second

Medical Definition

millisecond

noun

mil·​li·​sec·​ond ˈmil-ə-ˌsek-ənd, -ənt 

: one thousandth of a second

—abbreviation ms, msec