unit

See also: unît

English

WOTD – 5 November 2013

Etymology

Formerly unite, a later form of unity; see unity.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈjuː.nɪt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːnɪt

Noun

unit (plural units)

1. (mathematics) Oneness, singularity, seen as a component of a whole number; a magnitude of one. [from 16th c.]
   • 1570, John Dee, in H. Billingsley (trans.) Euclid, Elements of Geometry, Preface:

     Number, we define, to be, a certayne Mathematicall Sũme, of Vnits. [Note the worde, Vnit, to expresse the Greke Monas, & not Vnitie: as we haue all, commonly, till now, vsed.]

2. (sciences) A standard measure of a quantity.

   The centimetre is a unit of length.

3. The number one.
4. Clipping of international unit.

   This pill provides 500 units of Vitamin E.

5. An organized group comprising people and/or equipment.

   He was a member of a special police unit.

6. (military, informal) A member of a military organization.

   The fifth tank brigade moved in with 20 units. (i.e., 20 tanks)

7. (commerce) An item which may be sold singly.

   We shipped nearly twice as many units this month as last month.

8. (US, UK, Australia, New Zealand) any piece of equipment, such as an appliance, power tool, stereo system, computer, tractor, or machinery.

   This air-conditioner is the most efficient unit we sell.

9. (US, Australia, New Zealand) a measure of housing equivalent to the living quarters of one household; an apartment where a group of apartments is contained in one or more multi-storied buildings or a group of dwellings is in one or more single storey buildings, usually arranged around a driveway.

   The new apartment complex will have 50 units.

10. (US, military) Any military element whose structure is prescribed by competent authority, such as a table of organization and equipment; specifically, part of an organization.
11. (US, military) An organization title of a subdivision of a group in a task force.
12. (US, military) A standard or basic quantity into which an item of supply is divided, issued, or detailed. In this meaning, also called unit of issue.
13. (US, military) With regard to Reserve Components of the Armed Forces, denotes a Selected Reserve unit organized, equipped, and trained for mobilization to serve on active duty as a unit or to augment or be augmented by another unit. Headquarters and support functions without wartime missions are not considered units.
14. (algebra) The identity element, neutral element.
15. (algebra) An element having an inverse, an invertible element; an associate of the unity.

    Hypernym: regular element

16. (category theory) In an adjunction, a natural transformation from the identity functor of the domain of the left adjoint functor to the composition of the right adjoint functor with the left adjoint functor.
17. (geology) A volume of rock or ice of identifiable origin and age range that is defined by the distinctive and dominant, easily mapped and recognizable petrographic, lithologic or paleontologic features (facies) that characterize it.
18. (UK) A unit of alcohol.
19. (UK, electricity) One kilowatt-hour (as recorded on an electricity meter).
20. (historical) A gold coin of the reign of James I, worth twenty shillings.
21. A work unit.
22. (UK, Australia, slang) A physically large person.
    • 2018, 11 December, BBC News, Aylesbury goalkeeper, 14, dies after match injury

      Luca's father, Americo Campanaro, said: "I feel like my heart has been ripped out."
      Mr Campanaro added: "He was a big lad, a big unit, that's why he was a goalkeeper, with a big heart to match. A gentle giant."

23. (US, slang, vulgar) A penis, especially a large one.

Synonyms

• (identity element): identity element, unity, unit element

Hyponyms

• (chip): arithmetic logic unit

Translations

standard measure of a quantity

• Albanian: njësi (sq) f
• Arabic: وَحْدَة‎ f (waḥda)
• Armenian: միավոր (hy) (miavor)
• Asturian: unidá (ast) f
• Bashkir: берәмек (berämek)
• Belarusian: адзі́нка (be) f (adzínka)
• Bulgarian: едини́ца (bg) f (ediníca)
• Catalan: unitat (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 單位 (zh), 单位 (zh) (dānwèi)

• Czech: jednotka (cs) f
• Danish: enhed (da) c
• Dutch: eenheid (nl) f
• Esperanto: unito, unuo
• Estonian: ühik
• Finnish: yksikkö (fi)
• French: unité (fr) f
• Galician: unidade (gl) f
• Georgian: ერთეული (erteuli)
• German: Einheit (de) f
• Greek: μονάδα (el) f (monáda)
• Hebrew: יְחִידָה‎ (he) f
• Hungarian: egység (hu)
• Indonesian: satuan (id)
• Irish: aonad (ga) m
• Italian: unità (it) f
• Japanese: 単位 (ja) (たんい, tan'i)
• Javanese: iji (jv)
• Korean: 단위(單位) (ko) (danwi)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish: یەکە‎ (ku) (yeke)

• Lao: ໜ່ວຍ (nuāi)
• Latvian: vienība f
• Macedonian: единица f (edinica)
• Malay: unit, satuan (ms)
• Maori: waeine
• Norwegian:

  Norwegian Bokmål: enhet (no) m

  Norwegian Nynorsk: eining (nn) m

• Polish: jednostka (pl) f
• Portuguese: unidade (pt) f
• Romanian: unitate (ro) f
• Russian: едини́ца (ru) f (jediníca)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: јединица f

  Roman: jedinica (sh) f

• Slovak: jednotka f
• Slovene: enota (sl) f
• Spanish: unidad (es) f
• Swedish: enhet (sv) c
• Tagalog: isahin
• Turkish: birim (tr)
• Ukrainian: одини́ця (uk) f (odynýcja)
• Vietnamese: please add this translation if you can

number one

• Bulgarian: единица (bg) f (edinica)
• Catalan: unitat (ca) f
• Finnish: ykkönen (fi)
• French: unité (fr) f
• Galician: unidade (gl) f
• Hebrew: אֳָחָד‎ (he) m, אַחַת‎ (he) f
• Maori: kotahi
• Polish: jedność (pl) f, jedynka (pl) f
• Portuguese: unidade (pt) f

international unit — see international unit

organized group comprising people and/or equipment

• Bashkir: берәмек (berämek)
• Bulgarian: едини́ца (bg) f (ediníca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 部件 (zh) (bùjiàn)

• Czech: jednotka (cs) f
• Danish: enhed (da) c
• Dutch: eenheid (nl) f
• Finnish: yksikkö (fi), osasto (fi)
• French: unité (fr) f
• German: Einheit (de) f
• Greek: μονάδα (el) f (monáda), συγκρότημα (el) n (sygkrótima)
• Hebrew: יְחִידָה‎ (he) f
• Hungarian: egység (hu)
• Indonesian: satuan (id)
• Irish: aonad (ga) m
• Italian: unità (it)
• Japanese: 一式 (いっしき, isshiki)
• Macedonian: единица f (edinica)
• Norwegian:

  Norwegian Bokmål: enhet (no) m

  Norwegian Nynorsk: eining (nn) m

• Polish: jednostka (pl) f
• Portuguese: unidade (pt) f
• Romanian: unitate (ro) f
• Russian: едини́ца (ru) f (jediníca), подразделе́ние (ru) n (podrazdelénije)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: јединица f

  Roman: jedinica (sh) f

• Slovene: enota (sl) f
• Spanish: unidad (es) f
• Swedish: enhet (sv) c
• Turkish: birim (tr)
• Ukrainian: одини́ця (uk) f (odynýcja)

member of a military organization

• Bulgarian: едини́ца (bg) f (ediníca)
• Czech: jednotka (cs) f
• Danish: enhed (da) c
• Dutch: eenheid (nl) f
• Estonian: üksus
• Finnish: yksikkö (fi)
• Greek: μονάδα (el) f (monáda)
• Hebrew: יחידה‎ (he) f (yekhidá)
• Japanese: 部隊 (ja) (ぶたい, butai), 部門 (ja) (ぶもん, bumon)
• Polish: jednostka (pl) f
• Portuguese: unidade (pt) f
• Romanian: unitate (ro) f
• Russian: едини́ца (ru) f (jediníca)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: јединица f

  Roman: jedinica (sh) f

• Swedish: enhet (sv) c

military: military element with prescribed structure

• Bulgarian: поделение (bg) n (podelenie)
• Finnish: yksikkö (fi), osasto (fi)
• Indonesian: satuan (id)

military: subdivision in a task force

• Bulgarian: подразделение (bg) n (podrazdelenie)
• Finnish: yksikkö (fi), osasto (fi)
• Indonesian: satuan (id)
• Swedish: enhet (sv) c

military: standard or basic quantity

• Finnish: yksikkö (fi)
• Swedish: enhet (sv) c

military: selected reserve unit

• Finnish: yksikkö (fi)
• Swedish: enhet (sv) c

algebra: element of a ring

• Bulgarian: едини́ца (bg) f (ediníca)
• Danish: enhed (da) c
• Finnish: yksikkö (fi)
• Greek: μονάδα (el) f (monáda)
• Hungarian: egység (hu)
• Icelandic: eind (is) f
• Irish: aonad (ga) m
• Norwegian:

  Norwegian Bokmål: enhet (no) m

  Norwegian Nynorsk: eining (nn) m

• Polish: jedynka (pl) f
• Portuguese: unidade (pt) f
• Romanian: unitate (ro) f
• Russian: едини́ца (ru) f (jediníca)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: јединица f

  Roman: jedinica (sh) f

geology: volume of rock or ice of identifiable origin

item which may be sold singly

• Danish: enhed (da) c
• Finnish: yksikkö (fi)
• Greek: κομμάτι (el) n (kommáti), τεμάχιο (el) n (temáchio)
• Hebrew: יְחִידָה‎ (he) f
• Maori: waetahi
• Norwegian:

  Norwegian Bokmål: enhet (no) m

  Norwegian Nynorsk: eining (nn) m

• Polish: sztuka (pl) f
• Portuguese: unidade (pt) f
• Russian: едини́ца (ru) f (jediníca), шту́ка (ru) f (štúka)
• Swedish: enhet (sv) c

kilowatt-hour as recorded on an electricity meter — see kilowatt-hour

measure of housing equivalent to the living quarters of one household

• Finnish: asunto (fi)
• Hebrew: דִּירָה‎ (he) f

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Indonesian: ^{(please verify)} satuan (id)
• Slovak: ^{(please verify)} jednotka f

Adjective

unit (not comparable)

1. For each unit.

   We have to keep our unit costs down if we want to make a profit.

2. (mathematics) Having a size or magnitude of one.
   • 1990, William W. S. Wei, Time Series Analysis, →ISBN, page 9:

     Consider the following time sequence

     $Z_{t}=A\sin(\omega t+\theta )$,

     where $A$ is a random variable with a zero mean and a unit variance and $\theta$ is a random variable with a uniform distribution on the interval $[-\pi ,\pi ]$ independent of $A$.

Derived terms

• absolute unit
• arithmetic logic unit, ALU
• astronomical unit
• cab unit
• central processing unit, CPU
• construction unit
• cowl unit
• floating-point unit, FPU
• graphics processing unit, GPU
• hood unit
• multiple unit
• power unit
• tractor unit
• unit aircraft
• unitality
• unitary
• unit combat readiness
• unit commitment status
• unit cost
• unit designation list
• unitise, unitize
• unit load
• unit trust

 

Translations

for each unit

• Bulgarian: единичен (bg) (ediničen)
• Finnish: (in compounds) yksikkö- (fi)
• Indonesian: satuan (id)
• Portuguese: unitário (pt)
• Swedish: enhets-

mathematical

• Finnish: (in compounds) yksikkö- (fi)
• Polish: jednostkowy (pl) m
• Portuguese: unitário (pt)

Further reading

• unit in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• unit in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
• unit at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• uint

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Bikol Central

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: u‧nit
• IPA^(key): /ˈʔunit/

Noun

únit

1. (Tabaco–Legazpi–Sorsogon, anatomy) skin; scalp

   Synonyms: kublit, balat

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Catalan

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central, Valencian) IPA^(key): /uˈnit/
• Rhymes: -it

Adjective

unit (feminine unida, masculine plural units, feminine plural unides)

1. united

Derived terms

• Emirats Àrabs Units
• Estats Units
• Estats Units d'Amèrica
• Regne Unit

Verb

unit m (feminine unida, masculine plural units, feminine plural unides)

1. past participle of unir

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /y.ni/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

unit

1. inflection of unir:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. third-person singular past historic

Anagrams

• nuit

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Indonesian

Etymology

From English unit.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈʊnɪt̚]
• Hyphenation: unit

Noun

unit (first-person possessive unitku, second-person possessive unitmu, third-person possessive unitnya)

1. unit:
   1. (mathematics) oneness, singularity, seen as a component of a whole number; a magnitude of one.

      Synonym: satuan

   2. (sciences) a standard measure of a quantity.

Classifier

unit

1. Classifier for singularity.

Derived terms

• unit contoh
• unit desa
• unit gawat darurat
• unit gerak
• unit Haugh
• unit internasional
• unit kerja
• unit translasi

 

Further reading

• “unit” in Online Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language [Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia Daring], Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.

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Latin

Verb

ūnit

1. third-person singular present active indicative of ūniō

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Occitan

Pronunciation

• Audio (Béarn)

  (file)

Verb

unit

1. past participle of unir

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Romanian

Etymology

Past participle of uni.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [uˈnit]

Adjective

unit m or n (feminine singular unită, masculine plural uniți, feminine and neuter plural unite)

1. united

Declension

Declension of unit

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative/ accusative	indefinite	unit		unită	uniți	unite
	definite	unitul		unita	uniții	unitele
genitive/ dative	indefinite	unit		unite	uniți	unite
	definite	unitului		unitei	uniților	unitelor

Verb

unit (past participle of uni)

1. past participle of uni

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Welsh

Alternative forms

• unet (colloquial)
• unset (colloquial)

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈɨ̞nɪt/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈiːnɪt/, /ˈɪnɪt/

Verb

unit

1. (literary) second-person singular imperfect/conditional of uno

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	h-prothesis
unit	unchanged	unchanged	hunit
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.