Standard Lemma guide

unit

adj · noun · 35 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈjuː.nɪt/
  • /ˈ(j)ɪu̯.nɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uːnɪt
  • CMU ARPABET: Y UW1 N AH0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: Y UW1 N IH0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

For each unit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • We have to keep our unit costs down if we want to make a profit.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Having a size or magnitude of one.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Oneness, singularity, seen as a component of a whole number; a magnitude of one.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A standard measure of a quantity or magnitude.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: sciences

Examples

  • The centimetre is a unit of length.
  • The pound sterling is a unit of currency.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unit of measure, unit of measurement

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A basic, self-contained component or module that performs a specific function inside a computer system.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

The number one.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

Ellipsis of international unit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis

Examples

  • This pill provides 500 units of Vitamin E.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

An organized group comprising people or equipment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He was a member of a special police unit.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A course, lesson, or section of a curriculum covering a particular topic or skill.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: education

Examples

  • We're starting a new unit on photosynthesis next week.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A member of a military organization.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Topics: government, military, politics, war

Examples

  • The fifth tank brigade moved in with 20 units. (i.e., 20 tanks)

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

An item which may be sold singly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, commerce

Examples

  • We shipped nearly twice as many units this month as last month.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

Any piece of equipment, such as an appliance, power tool, stereo system, computer, tractor, or machinery.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, New-Zealand, UK, US

Examples

  • This air-conditioner is the most efficient unit we sell.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

A structure used to display goods for sale (usually containing shelves, pegs or hooks)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, commerce, retail

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

noun

Meaning 14

A measure of housing equivalent to the living quarters of one household; an apartment where a group of apartments is contained in one or more multi-storied buildings or a group of dwellings is in one or more single storey buildings, usually arranged around a driveway.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, New-Zealand, US

Examples

  • The new apartment complex will have 50 units.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

noun

Meaning 15

A quantity of approximately 517 milliliters (1.1 U.S. pints) of blood.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

noun

Meaning 16

Any military element whose structure is prescribed by competent authority, such as a table of organization and equipment; specifically, part of an organization.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

noun

Meaning 17

An organization title of a subdivision of a group in a task force.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

noun

Meaning 18

A standard or basic quantity into which an item of supply is divided, issued, or detailed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unit of issue

Antonyms: none provided

19

noun

Meaning 19

With regard to Reserve Components of the Armed Forces, denotes a Selected Reserve unit organized, equipped, and trained for mobilization to serve on active duty as a unit or to augment or be augmented by another unit. Headquarters and support functions without wartime missions are not considered units.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

20

noun

Meaning 20

The identity element, the neutral element.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: algebra, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: identity element, unity, unit element

Antonyms: none provided

21

noun

Meaning 21

An element having an inverse, an invertible element; an associate of the unity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: algebra, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: regular element

22

noun

Meaning 22

In an adjunction, a natural transformation from the identity functor of the domain of the left adjoint functor to the composition of the right adjoint functor with the left adjoint functor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: category-theory, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

23

noun

Meaning 23

A volume of rock or ice of identifiable origin and age range that is defined by the distinctive and dominant, easily mapped and recognizable petrographic, lithologic or paleontologic features (facies) that characterize it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

24

noun

Meaning 24

A unit of alcohol.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

25

noun

Meaning 25

One kilowatt-hour (as recorded on an electricity meter).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

Topics: business, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, energy, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

26

noun

Meaning 26

A gold coin of the reign of James I, worth twenty shillings.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

27

noun

Meaning 27

A work unit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

28

noun

Meaning 28

A physically large person.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, UK, slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

29

noun

Meaning 29

A penis, especially a large one.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, slang, vulgar

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

30

noun

Meaning 30

an assemblage of parts that is regarded as a single entity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • how big is that part compared to the whole?
  • the team is a unit

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: whole

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: object, physical object

Narrower terms: congener, living thing, animate thing, natural object, artifact, artefact, assembly, item, sum, total, totality, aggregate

31

noun

Meaning 31

a single undivided whole

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an idea is not a unit that can be moved from one brain to another

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: whole

Narrower terms: one

32

noun

Meaning 32

an organization regarded as part of a larger social group

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the coach said the offensive unit did a good job
  • after the battle the soldier had trouble rejoining his unit

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: social unit

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: organization, organisation

Narrower terms: klavern, administrative unit, administrative body, company, family, household, house, home, menage, general delivery, poste restante, instrumentality, intensive care unit, ICU, member, military unit, military force, military group, force, task force, team, squad, den, gang, crew, work party, combination, troop, scout troop, scout group, outfit, fifth column, Trojan horse, political unit, political entity, side, working group, working party

33

noun

Meaning 33

a single undivided natural thing occurring in the composition of something else

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • units of nucleic acids

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: building block

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: thing

Narrower terms: chain, chemical chain, couple, unit cell, group, radical, chemical group, molecule

34

noun

Meaning 34

any division of quantity accepted as a standard of measurement or exchange

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the dollar is the United States unit of currency
  • a unit of wheat is a bushel
  • change per unit volume

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unit of measurement

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: definite quantity

Narrower terms: measuring unit, measuring block, denier, diopter, dioptre, karat, carat, kt, absorption unit, acceleration unit, angular unit, area unit, square measure, volume unit, capacity unit, capacity measure, cubage unit, cubic measure, cubic content unit, displacement unit, cubature unit, computer memory unit, electromagnetic unit, emu, explosive unit, force unit, linear unit, linear measure, metric unit, metric, miles per gallon, monetary unit, megaflop, MFLOP, million floating point operations per second, teraflop, trillion floating point operations per second, MIPS, million instructions per second, pain unit, pressure unit, printing unit, sound unit, telephone unit, temperature unit, weight unit, weight, mass unit, unit of viscosity, work unit, heat unit, energy unit, langley, Brinell number, point, bit, electrostatic unit

35

noun

Meaning 35

an individual or group or structure or other entity regarded as a structural or functional constituent of a whole

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the reduced the number of units and installations
  • the word is a basic linguistic unit

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: part, portion, component part, component, constituent

History

Etymology

Formerly unite, a later form of unity; see unity.

Across languages

Translations

184 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: единичен (ediničen) — for each unit
  • Finnish: yksikkö- — for each unit
  • Indonesian: satuan — for each unit
  • Portuguese: unitário — for each unit
  • Russian: единичный (jediničnyj) — for each unit
  • Swedish: enhets- — for each unit
  • Finnish: yksikkö- — mathematical
  • Polish: jednostkowy — mathematical
  • Portuguese: unitário — mathematical
  • Albanian: njësi — standard measure of a quantity
  • Arabic: وَحْدَة (waḥda) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Armenian: միավոր (miavor) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Asturian: unidá — standard measure of a quantity
  • Bashkir: берәмек (berəmek) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Belarusian: адзі́нка (adzínka) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Bulgarian: едини́ца (ediníca) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Catalan: unitat — standard measure of a quantity
  • Chinese Mandarin: 單位 /单位 (dānwèi) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Czech: jednotka — standard measure of a quantity
  • Danish: enhed — standard measure of a quantity
  • Dutch: eenheid — standard measure of a quantity
  • Esperanto: unito — standard measure of a quantity
  • Esperanto: unuo — standard measure of a quantity
  • Estonian: ühik — standard measure of a quantity
  • Faroese: eind — standard measure of a quantity
  • Finnish: yksikkö — standard measure of a quantity
  • French: unité — standard measure of a quantity
  • Galician: unidade — standard measure of a quantity
  • Georgian: ერთეული (erteuli) — standard measure of a quantity
  • German: Einheit — standard measure of a quantity
  • Greek: μονάδα (monáda) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Hebrew: יְחִידָה — standard measure of a quantity
  • Hindi: इकाई (ikāī) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Hungarian: egység — standard measure of a quantity
  • Icelandic: eining — standard measure of a quantity
  • Indonesian: satuan — standard measure of a quantity
  • Irish: aonad — standard measure of a quantity
  • Italian: unità — standard measure of a quantity
  • Japanese: 単位 (tan'i) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Javanese: iji — standard measure of a quantity
  • Korean: 단위 (danwi) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Central Kurdish: یەکە (yeke) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Northern Kurdish: yeke — standard measure of a quantity
  • Northern Kurdish: yekîne — standard measure of a quantity
  • Lao: ຫນ່ວຍ (nuāi) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Latvian: vienība — standard measure of a quantity
  • Macedonian: единица (edinica) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Malay: unit — standard measure of a quantity
  • Malay: satuan — standard measure of a quantity
  • Māori: waeine — standard measure of a quantity
  • Marathi: एकक (ekak) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Norwegian Bokmål: enhet — standard measure of a quantity
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: eining — standard measure of a quantity
  • Polish: jednostka — standard measure of a quantity
  • Portuguese: unidade — standard measure of a quantity
  • Romanian: unitate — standard measure of a quantity
  • Russian: едини́ца (jediníca) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Serbo-Croatian: јединица — standard measure of a quantity
  • Serbo-Croatian: jedinica — standard measure of a quantity
  • Slovak: jednotka — standard measure of a quantity
  • Slovene: enota — standard measure of a quantity
  • Spanish: unidad — standard measure of a quantity
  • Swahili: uniti — standard measure of a quantity
  • Swedish: enhet — standard measure of a quantity
  • Tagalog: sambilang — standard measure of a quantity
  • Tagalog: yunit — standard measure of a quantity
  • Tamil: அலகு (alaku) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Turkish: birim — standard measure of a quantity
  • Ukrainian: одини́ця (odynýcja) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Urdu: اِکائِی (ikāī) — standard measure of a quantity
  • Vietnamese: đơn vị — standard measure of a quantity
  • Bulgarian: единица (edinica) — number one
  • Catalan: unitat — number one
  • Finnish: ykkönen — number one
  • French: unité — number one
  • Galician: unidade — number one
  • Hebrew: אֳָחָד — number one
  • Hebrew: אַחַת — number one
  • Hindi: प्रथम (pratham) — number one
  • Māori: kotahi — number one
  • Polish: jedność — number one
  • Polish: jedynka — number one
  • Portuguese: unidade — number one
  • Bashkir: берәмек (berəmek) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Bulgarian: едини́ца (ediníca) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Chinese Mandarin: 部件 (bùjiàn) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Czech: jednotka — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Danish: enhed — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Dutch: eenheid — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Finnish: yksikkö — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Finnish: osasto — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • French: unité — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • German: Einheit — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Greek: μονάδα (monáda) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Greek: συγκρότημα (sygkrótima) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Hebrew: יְחִידָה — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Hindi: दल (dal) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Hindi: टुकड़ी (ṭukṛī) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Hungarian: egység — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Indonesian: satuan — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Irish: aonad — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Italian: unità — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Japanese: 一式 (isshiki) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Macedonian: единица (edinica) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Norwegian Bokmål: enhet — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: eining — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Polish: jednostka — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Portuguese: unidade — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Romanian: unitate — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Russian: едини́ца (jediníca) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Russian: подразделе́ние (podrazdelénije) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Serbo-Croatian: јединица — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Serbo-Croatian: jedinica — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Slovene: enota — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Spanish: unidad — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Swedish: enhet — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Turkish: birim — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • Ukrainian: одини́ця (odynýcja) — organized group comprising people and/or equipment
  • French: unité — course or section of a curriculum
  • Russian: раздел (razdel) — course or section of a curriculum
  • Spanish: unidad — course or section of a curriculum
  • Bulgarian: едини́ца (ediníca) — member of a military organization
  • Czech: jednotka — member of a military organization
  • Danish: enhed — member of a military organization
  • Dutch: eenheid — member of a military organization
  • Estonian: üksus — member of a military organization
  • Finnish: yksikkö — member of a military organization
  • Greek: μονάδα (monáda) — member of a military organization
  • Hebrew: יחידה (yekhidá) — member of a military organization
  • Hindi: टुकड़ी (ṭukṛī) — member of a military organization
  • Japanese: 部隊 (butai) — member of a military organization
  • Japanese: 部門 (bumon) — member of a military organization
  • Polish: jednostka — member of a military organization
  • Portuguese: unidade — member of a military organization
  • Romanian: unitate — member of a military organization
  • Russian: едини́ца (jediníca) — member of a military organization
  • Serbo-Croatian: јединица — member of a military organization
  • Serbo-Croatian: jedinica — member of a military organization
  • Swedish: enhet — member of a military organization
  • Bulgarian: поделение (podelenie) — military: military element with prescribed structure
  • Finnish: yksikkö — military: military element with prescribed structure
  • Finnish: osasto — military: military element with prescribed structure
  • Indonesian: satuan — military: military element with prescribed structure
  • Bulgarian: подразделение (podrazdelenie) — military: subdivision in a task force
  • Finnish: yksikkö — military: subdivision in a task force
  • Finnish: osasto — military: subdivision in a task force
  • Hindi: टुकड़ी (ṭukṛī) — military: subdivision in a task force
  • Indonesian: satuan — military: subdivision in a task force
  • Swedish: enhet — military: subdivision in a task force
  • Finnish: yksikkö — military: standard or basic quantity
  • Swedish: enhet — military: standard or basic quantity
  • Finnish: yksikkö — military: selected reserve unit
  • Hindi: टुकड़ी (ṭukṛī) — military: selected reserve unit
  • Swedish: enhet — military: selected reserve unit
  • Bulgarian: едини́ца (ediníca) — algebra: element of a ring
  • Danish: enhed — algebra: element of a ring
  • Finnish: yksikkö — algebra: element of a ring
  • Greek: μονάδα (monáda) — algebra: element of a ring
  • Hungarian: egység — algebra: element of a ring
  • Icelandic: eind — algebra: element of a ring
  • Irish: aonad — algebra: element of a ring
  • Norwegian Bokmål: enhet — algebra: element of a ring
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: eining — algebra: element of a ring
  • Polish: jedynka — algebra: element of a ring
  • Portuguese: unidade — algebra: element of a ring
  • Romanian: unitate — algebra: element of a ring
  • Russian: едини́ца (jediníca) — algebra: element of a ring
  • Serbo-Croatian: јединица — algebra: element of a ring
  • Serbo-Croatian: jedinica — algebra: element of a ring
  • Danish: enhed — item which may be sold singly
  • Finnish: yksikkö — item which may be sold singly
  • Greek: κομμάτι (kommáti) — item which may be sold singly
  • Greek: τεμάχιο (temáchio) — item which may be sold singly
  • Hebrew: יְחִידָה — item which may be sold singly
  • Māori: waetahi — item which may be sold singly
  • Norwegian Bokmål: enhet — item which may be sold singly
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: eining — item which may be sold singly
  • Polish: sztuka — item which may be sold singly
  • Portuguese: unidade — item which may be sold singly
  • Russian: едини́ца (jediníca) — item which may be sold singly
  • Russian: шту́ка (štúka) — item which may be sold singly
  • Swedish: enhet — item which may be sold singly
  • Finnish: asunto — measure of housing equivalent to the living quarters of one household
  • Hebrew: דִּירָה — measure of housing equivalent to the living quarters of one household