nanosecond

noun

nano·​sec·​ond ˈna-nə-ˌse-kənd 

-kənt

1

: one billionth of a second

2

: a very brief moment

Did you know?

The nonserious use of nanosecond is probably much more common than the proper technical use. In measurement terms such as nanosecond, nanogram, and nanometer, nano- means "billionth;" in other kinds of words, its meaning isn't quite so precise. In computers, the speed of reading and writing to random access memory (RAM) is measured in nanoseconds. By comparison, the speed of reading or writing to a hard drive or a CD-ROM player, or for information to travel over the Internet, is measured in milliseconds (thousandths of a second), which are a million times longer than nanoseconds.

Synonyms

• beat
• eyeblink
• flash
• heartbeat
• instant
• jiff
• jiffy
• minute
• moment
• New York minute
• second
• shake
• split second
• trice
• twinkle
• twinkling
• wink

Examples of nanosecond in a Sentence

It happens in less than a nanosecond.

a nanosecond was about all that it took her to accept his marriage proposal

Recent Examples on the Web

Don’t think for a nanosecond the prospects in this year’s NBA Draft class haven’t heard the noise from pundits, suggesting the collection of talent is among the worst in more than two decades. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2024

Within nanoseconds of the WCC’s expansion news, Gonzaga’s future became a hot topic on social media. —Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 12 May 2024

Prior to femtosecond lasers, research groups attempted to weld solar panel glass with nanosecond lasers. —IEEE Spectrum, 9 May 2024

Still, having the option to choose the best player in the draft — or trade the pick for more assets — is something many executives would take in a nanosecond. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2024

Magic Johnson answered his cell on the first ring and in a nanosecond his excitement was at a fever pitch. —Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024

The programs will continue recognizing complex patterns, adapting faster to changing market conditions and adjusting trading strategies in nanoseconds. —Atal Bansal, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

Given that polarons can last for about 11 nanoseconds, the scientists think that acoustic exciton-polarons could cover more than 25 micrometers before scattering. —IEEE Spectrum, 6 Nov. 2023

Ground-penetrating radar waves travel at a fraction of the speed of light, so the entire process—transmission, reflection, recording—takes nanoseconds. —WIRED, 28 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

nanosecond

noun

nano·​sec·​ond ˈnan-ə-ˌsek-ənd 

-ənt

: one billionth of a second

Medical Definition

nanosecond

noun

nano·​sec·​ond -ˌsek-ənd, -ənt 

: one billionth of a second

—abbreviation ns, nsec