volt1

[vohlt] /voʊlt/
noun, Electricity
1.
the standard unit of potential difference and electromotive force in the International System of Units (SI), formally defined to be the difference of electric potential between two points of a conductor carrying a constant current of one ampere, when the power dissipated between these points is equal to one watt.
Abbreviation: V.
Origin
1870-75; named after A. Volta

volt2

[vohlt] /voʊlt/
noun
1.
Manège.
  1. a circular or turning movement of a horse.
  2. a gait in which a horse going sideways turns around a center, with the head turned outward.
2.
Fencing. a sudden movement or leap to avoid a thrust.
Origin
1650-60; < French volte < Italian volta, noun derivative of voltare to turn < Vulgar Latin *volvitare, frequentative of Latin volvere to turn; see vault2
Examples from the web for volt
  • Upper wires detour the three-million-volt harmlessly to the ground.
  • Furthermore, the volt-sensing element has moving parts that are buried deep inside the protein.
  • volt batteries have not caught fire after any real-world crash.
  • volt is to go into production late this year and be in some showrooms early next.
  • If you look under the table upon which these transactions take place you will see a twelve volt car battery.
  • The chargers have their volt size written in red lettering.
British Dictionary definitions for volt

volt1

/vəʊlt/
noun
1.
the derived SI unit of electric potential; the potential difference between two points on a conductor carrying a current of 1 ampere, when the power dissipated between these points is 1 watt V
Word Origin
C19: named after Count Alessandro Volta2

volt2

/vɒlt/
noun
1.
a small circle of determined size executed in dressage
2.
a leap made in fencing to avoid an opponent's thrust
Word Origin
C17: from French volte, from Italian volta a turn, ultimately from Latin volvere to turn
Word Origin and History for volt
n.

unit of electromotive force, 1873, back-formation from adj. voltaic.

volt in Medicine

volt (vōlt)
n.
Abbr. V
A unit of electromotive force in the Internation System of Units that will produce a current of 1 ampere in a circuit that has resistance of 1 ohm.

volt in Science
volt
  (vōlt)   
The SI derived unit used to measure electric potential at a given point, usually a point in an electric circuit. A voltage difference of one volt drives one ampere of current through a conductor that has a resistance of one ohm. One joule of work is required to move an electric charge of one coulomb across a potential difference of one volt. One volt is equivalent to one joule per coulomb. See also Ohm's law.
volt in Culture
volt [(vohlt)]

The unit of electromotive force, the volt measures how much “pressure” there is in an electric circuit. The higher the voltage, the more electrical current will flow in the circuit.

Note: Ordinary household outlets are usually rated at 115 volts, car batteries at 12 volts, and flashlight batteries at 1.5 volts.
Encyclopedia Article for volt

unit of electrical potential, potential difference and electromotive force in the metre-kilogram-second system (SI); it is equal to the difference in potential between two points in a conductor carrying one ampere current when the power dissipated between the points is one watt. An equivalent is the potential difference across a resistance of one ohm when one ampere is flowing through it. The volt is named in honour of the 18th-19th-century Italian physicist Alessandro Volta. These units are defined in accordance with Ohm's law, that resistance equals the ratio of potential to current, and the respective units of ohm, volt, and ampere are used universally for expressing electrical quantities. See also electric potential; electromotive force.

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