microsecond
UK[ˈmaɪkrəʊˌsekənd]US[ˈmaɪkroʊˌsekənd]
n
A unit of time equal to one millionth of a second.
Morpheme Breakdown
micro
second
micro
extremely small
second
unit of time
Etymology
The word 'microsecond' is a modern scientific compound formed in English. The prefix 'micro-' is borrowed from Greek, where 'mikros' meant 'small'. In the metric system, it was standardized to mean 'one millionth'. The base unit 'second' has a more circuitous history, originating from the Latin 'secunda minuta' meaning a 'second minute' (a further division of an hour). The literal combination, 'one-millionth of a second', perfectly captures its precise technical meaning as an infinitesimal unit of duration, essential for measuring high-speed processes in computing, physics, and telecommunications.
Analysis
Structure: micro (extremely small) + second (unit of time)
- micro: From Greek 'mikros', meaning 'small'. In English, a prefix denoting something extremely small or one millionth.
- second: From Latin 'secundus', meaning 'following' or 'second'. In timekeeping, it refers to the 60th part of a minute, the base unit.
Examples
The laser pulse lasts only a few microseconds.
Processor speeds are often measured in clock cycles per microsecond.
A microsecond is to a second what a second is to about 11.5 days.