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Definition of millisecond

millisecond

/ˈmɪl.əˌsɛk.ənd/
mil · li · sec · ond
Plural:milliseconds
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millisecond Lexical Profile

millisecond Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A unit of time equal to one thousandth of a second.

Example

"The olympic sprinter lost the gold medal by a mere twenty milliseconds."

2

An extremely brief period of time; an instant.

Example

"For a millisecond, she hesitated before opening the mysterious letter."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for millisecond

• Nearby Words

millionfold
millionth
millipede
millisecond
millpond
millstone
millstream

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the late 19th century by combining the metric prefix 'milli-' (from Latin 'mille', meaning 'thousand') with 'second'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Millisecond. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/millisecond
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