1881, named for French chemist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb (1736-1806), who devised a method of measuring electrical quantity. It is the quantity of electricity conveyed in 1 second by a current of 1 ampere. The name is a French form of Columbus.
coulomb cou·lomb (kōō'lŏm', -lōm')
n.
Abbr. C
The unit of electrical charge in the meter-kilogram-second system equal to the quantity of charge transferred in one second by a steady current of one ampere.