Sec: meaning, definitions and examples
⏳
sec
[ sɛk ]
unit of time
A 'sec' is a commonly used abbreviation for a second, which is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). It is defined based on a specific number of cycles of radiation corresponding to a transition between two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium-133 atom. Seconds are used to measure time intervals in various contexts, from everyday life to scientific experiments.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- It took me five sec to finish the task.
- The light will change in 30 sec.
- Wait a sec, I'm coming!
- I can hold my breath for 20 sec.
short form
The term 'sec' can also refer to an abbreviation for several phrases, including 'secretary,' 'secondary,' or 'second.' In this context, it is used informally to denote a shortened form of these words in written or spoken language.
Synonyms
abbreviation, acronym, short form
Examples of usage
- Please contact the sec for further information.
- The sec will handle the booking.
- He is the sec of the club.
- I have a meeting with the sec at noon.
Translations
Translations of the word "sec" in other languages:
🇵🇹 segundo
- segurança
- secar
🇮🇳 सेकंड
- सुरक्षा
- सुखाना
🇩🇪 Sekunde
- Sicherheit
- trocknen
🇮🇩 detik
- keamanan
- mengeringkan
🇺🇦 секунда
- безпека
- сушити
🇵🇱 sekunda
- bezpieczeństwo
- suszyć
🇯🇵 秒
- セキュリティ
- 乾かす
🇫🇷 seconde
- sécurité
- sécher
🇪🇸 segundo
- seguridad
- secar
🇹🇷 saniye
- güvenlik
- kurutmak
🇰🇷 초
- 보안
- 말리다
🇸🇦 ثانية
- أمان
- تجفيف
🇨🇿 sekunda
- bezpečnost
- sušit
🇸🇰 sekunda
- bezpečnosť
- sušiť
🇨🇳 秒
- 安全
- 晾干
🇸🇮 sekunda
- varnost
- sušenje
🇮🇸 sekúnda
- öryggi
- þurrka
🇰🇿 деп
- қауіпсіздік
- кептіру
🇬🇪 წუთი
- უსაფრთხოება
- გამხმარი
🇦🇿 saniyə
- təhlükəsizlik
- qurutmaq
🇲🇽 segundo
- seguridad
- secar
Etymology
The word 'second' comes from the Latin 'secundus,' meaning 'second' or 'following.' The usage of 'sec' as an abbreviation for 'second' in its temporal context started in the 19th century, as the need to have succinct and efficient measurements of time became more significant with the age of industrialization. The adoption of seconds as a standard unit of time was influenced by developments in physics and metrology, particularly in the establishment of the International System of Units (SI) in the late 1960s, which solidified the second based on atomic rather than astronomical phenomena. The abbreviation 'sec' has also been used in various aspects of language, evolving with modern communication styles and becoming a common shorthand in everyday discourse.