Microamp

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A measurement scale for electric current that represents one millionth of an ampere indicates very low levels of current flow
2. This unit defines the magnitude of electric current as one millionth of an ampere, used in precise applications
3. A unit of electric current equal to one millionth of an ampere is commonly used in sensitive electronic devices and circuits

Etymology: "Microamp" is a compound built from two parts. The first, "micro-", comes from Ancient Greek "mīkrós", meaning "small", and it reached English through the combining form "mīkro-", which Greek scientists and writers used to build technical terms. The second part, "amp", is a clipped form of "ampere", the unit of electric current named after the French physicist André-Marie Ampère. The prefix "micro-" was used this way long before anyone had a reason to measure currents in millionths of an ampere. Its combination with "amp" is a modern, practical coinage, made by joining a classical prefix to the everyday shorthand that electrical engineers used for the ampere. The result is a unit name that reads as its own meaning: a small amp, one millionth of the full unit.