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millivolt: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

C2
UK/ˈmɪlɪˌvəʊlt/US/ˈmɪləˌvoʊlt/

technical/scientific

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Quick answer

What does “millivolt” mean?

A unit of electromotive force equal to one thousandth (0.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A unit of electromotive force equal to one thousandth (0.001) of a volt.

A small, measurable electrical potential difference, commonly used in contexts involving biological signals (e.g., neural activity), sensitive electronic instrumentation, and low-voltage circuitry.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant lexical or spelling differences; the term is identical in both standards.

Connotations

Identical technical connotations in both varieties.

Frequency

Used with identical frequency and context in scientific and engineering communities worldwide.

Grammar

How to Use “millivolt” in a Sentence

a [number] millivolt signalmeasure in millivoltsa potential difference of [X] millivolts

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
signalpotentialleveloutputrangereading
medium
microvoltamplifiersensormeasurementfluctuation
weak
precisebiologicalelectricalscalemeter

Examples

Examples of “millivolt” in a Sentence

adjective

British English

  • The millivolt output was recorded.
  • A millivolt-level signal requires careful amplification.

American English

  • The millivolt output was recorded.
  • A millivolt-level signal needs careful amplification.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Rare, except in technical product specifications for medical or scientific equipment.

Academic

Common in physics, engineering, biomedical science, and neuroscience literature.

Everyday

Virtually never used.

Technical

Standard unit in electronics, electrophysiology, and sensor technology.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “millivolt”

Strong

mV

Weak

thousandth of a volt

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “millivolt”

kilovolt

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “millivolt”

  • Misspelling as 'milivolt' (single 'l').
  • Confusing with 'megavolt' (MV).
  • Incorrect plural: 'millivolts' is correct.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is a highly technical term used almost exclusively in scientific, engineering, and medical fields.

The standard abbreviation is 'mV' (lowercase m, uppercase V).

A microvolt (μV), which is one millionth of a volt.

Yes, it often functions as a noun modifier in compound nouns like 'millivolt meter' or 'millivolt signal'.

A unit of electromotive force equal to one thousandth (0.

Millivolt is usually technical/scientific in register.

Millivolt: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɪlɪˌvəʊlt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɪləˌvoʊlt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: 'Milli-' as in 'millimetre' (one thousandth of a metre) + 'volt' (the electrical unit). So, a millivolt is one thousandth of a volt.

Conceptual Metaphor

A unit of electrical 'pressure' or 'push' on a very small scale.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The neural signal was incredibly faint, registering only a few on the oscilloscope.
Multiple Choice

What is a millivolt?

millivolt: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples | Lingvocore