absolute unit
noun
plural absolute units
1
physics
: a unit of measurement that relates to or can be derived in the simplest manner from the fundamental units of length, mass, and time
Many people use the term decibel as if it were an absolute unit for measuring the amplitude of electrical audio signals. However, that is not correct. When used with electrical audio signals, decibels express the ratio of two values.—
Scott Wilkinson
compare base unit
Scott Wilkinson2
slang
: an impressively large person or thing
The internet is being regaled by the sight of an absolute unit of a walrus struggling to board a boat.—Cheryl Teh
Cheryl TehA hulking Highland cow held up train passengers near Glasgow after escaping from a country park, leading rail staff to dub the beast an "absolute unit."—Jon Sharman
Jon SharmanThe absolute unit of a Bible that President Biden swore his oath of office on has been in his family since 1893!—@grace_panetta, on X, formerly Twitter
@grace_panetta, on X, formerly TwitterHe's also a 6-foot, 256-pound absolute unit—to put it in the parlance of his fans on social media—who will punt in the NFL if he keeps improving in his final college season.—Andy Staples
Andy StaplesThe reason for the extra napkins? These tortas are absolute units, loaded with multiple types of meat.—Emily Teel
Emily TeelExamples of absolute unit in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Notable: An absolute unit at 6-foot-4 and 360 pounds with athleticism, Jenkins played defensive tackle as well as anyone has played it for Carolina for a space of several seasons.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2024
Clip the coupon on the product page to get this absolute unit for $15 ($7 off).
—Condé Nast, WIRED, 24 Nov. 2023
Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech, defensive tackle Hutchings has evolved into an absolute unit, morphing from a high-school running back into one of the nation’s best interior defensive lineman.
—Michael Haag, Dallas News, 15 Aug. 2023
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Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2024
Clip the coupon on the product page to get this absolute unit for $15 ($7 off).
—Condé Nast, WIRED, 24 Nov. 2023
Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech, defensive tackle Hutchings has evolved into an absolute unit, morphing from a high-school running back into one of the nation’s best interior defensive lineman.
—Michael Haag, Dallas News, 15 Aug. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near absolute unit
Cite this Entry
“Absolute unit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/absolute%20unit. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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