Amp
/æmp/
Definitions
2 meaningsA unit of electric current, equal to one coulomb per second.
/æmp/
Unit of electric current
The device requires 5 amps to operate.
💡 Simply: A measure of how much electricity is flowing.
More Examples
The electrician checked the amperage of the circuit.
How It's Used
"The current flowing through the circuit was measured in amps."
"This amplifier can handle 100 amps of current."
Short for amplifier; a device that increases the strength of an audio or other electronic signal.
/æmp/
Abbreviation for amplifier
The band's guitarist used a Marshall amp.
💡 Simply: A device that makes sound louder.
More Examples
The sound system used several amps to amplify the music.
How It's Used
"He cranked up the amp to 11."
"The guitar amp had a distinctive sound."
Shortening of "ampere," named after André-Marie Ampère, a French physicist.
The word 'amp' as an abbreviation for 'ampere' and 'amplifier' has become increasingly common in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Memory tip
Ampere's the Amp!
Word Origin
"Named after André-Marie Ampère"