nanosecond

[nan-uh-sek-uhnd, ney-nuh-] / ˈnæn əˌsɛk ənd, ˈneɪ nə- /

NOUN

split second

Synonyms

STRONGEST

blink of an eye millisecond

WEAK

bat of an eye flash fraction of a second half a second heartbeat instant jiffy microsecond moment nothing flat twinkling

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A nanosecond is the time it takes for light to travel about one foot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

Every metre of distance between two chips adds a nanosecond, one billionth of a second, to the processing time.

From BBC • Sep. 22, 2025

The first half of the show unpacks the sensory systems that leads people to experience flavor in a nanosecond.

From Salon • Dec. 9, 2024

In addition, the chip performs key computations in less than half a nanosecond.

From Science Daily • Dec. 2, 2024

Crushing applause followed a nanosecond of crushing silence.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg