mho: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowTechnical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “mho” mean?
The unit of electrical conductance, equal to the reciprocal of one ohm.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The unit of electrical conductance, equal to the reciprocal of one ohm.
A rarely used scientific unit representing the ease with which an electric current flows through a conductor; the inverse of resistance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional differences in meaning or usage, as it is a technical term. Both regions now predominantly use 'siemens'.
Connotations
Purely technical, with no cultural or emotional connotations.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both varieties. Its use is confined to historical or highly specialized electrical engineering/physics contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “mho” in a Sentence
The conductance is [NUMBER] mhos.It has a value of [NUMBER] mho.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used only in historical contexts within physics or electrical engineering papers discussing older measurement systems.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Extremely rare. May be encountered in legacy documentation, older textbooks, or by specialists discussing pre-SI units.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mho”
- Pronouncing it as /ɛm eɪtʃ oʊ/ (M-H-O) instead of as a single syllable /moʊ/.
- Using it in modern technical writing where 'siemens' (S) is the standard.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is largely obsolete. The International System of Units (SI) adopted the 'siemens' (symbol S) as the standard unit of electrical conductance in 1971.
The name is a reverse spelling of 'ohm', the unit of electrical resistance, because conductance is the mathematical reciprocal (or inverse) of resistance.
It is pronounced as a single syllable, like 'mow' (rhyming with 'go'). The British pronunciation is /məʊ/ and the American is /moʊ/.
You might find it in historical scientific literature, very old electrical engineering textbooks, or in discussions about the history of measurement units. It is not used in contemporary technical writing.
The unit of electrical conductance, equal to the reciprocal of one ohm.
Mho is usually technical/scientific in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
MHO is OHM spelled backwards, because it's the backwards (or inverse) of resistance.
Conceptual Metaphor
INVERSION IS REVERSAL (the unit's name is created by reversing the spelling of its opposite).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary modern equivalent of the mho?