Dictionary · Standards & Units
Submultiple of a unit
A unit obtained by dividing a given unit by an integer greater than one — the millimetre from the metre.
Related terms
More from Standards & Units
Ordinal quantity-value scale
A quantity-value scale for ordinal quantities, established by agreement on a procedure — comparisons of order are valid, arithmetic on the values is not.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 1.28
Quantity dimension
The expression of a quantity's dependence on the base quantities as a product of powers of their dimensions — force has dimension L·M·T⁻².
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 1.7
International System of Quantities (ISQ)
The system of quantities based on the seven base quantities: length, mass, time, electric current, thermodynamic temperature, amount of substance, and luminous intensity — the quantity framework beneath the SI.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 1.6
Base unit
A measurement unit adopted by convention for a base quantity — in the SI: second, metre, kilogram, ampere, kelvin, mole, candela.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 1.10
Measurement standard (etalon)
The realization of the definition of a given quantity, with stated value and uncertainty, used as a reference — an artifact, instrument, reference material, or measuring system.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 5.1
Conventional reference scale
A quantity-value scale defined by formal agreement — pH and the practical temperature scales are canonical examples.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 1.29