millivolt
Meaning
A unit of electromotive force equal to one thousandth of a volt.
Structure
Usage
The sensor outputs a signal of just a few millivolts.
A typical neuron's action potential involves a change of about 100 millivolts.
You need a sensitive multimeter to accurately measure such a small millivolt reading.
Etymology
The word 'millivolt' is a modern scientific compound formed by combining the metric prefix 'milli-' with the unit name 'volt'. The prefix 'milli-' originates from the Latin mille, meaning "thousand," and was adopted into the metric system to denote one-thousandth of a base unit. The unit 'volt' was coined in the late 19th century in honor of Alessandro Volta, inventor of the electric battery. Therefore, a millivolt literally and logically represents one thousandth of the standard unit of electrical potential, the volt, creating a precise term for measuring small voltages.
Analysis
- milli: From Latin mille (thousand). A prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of one thousandth (1/1000). - volt: Named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta. The unit of electromotive force.