Physics > Unit Abbreviations

Abbreviations and Letter Symbols for Units


Unit or TermAbbreviation Unit or TermAbbreviation
alternating currentac lumen secondlm · s
American wire gaugeAWG luxlx
ampereA magnetohydrodynamicsMHD
ampere · hourAh magnetomotive forceMMF
ampere turnA medium frequencyMF
amplitude modulationAM megaelectronvoltMeV
antilogarithmantilog megahertzMHZ
audio frequencyAF megavoltMV
automatic frequency controlAFC megawattMW
automatic gain controlAGC megohmMQ
automatic volume controlAVC metal-oxide semiconductorMOS
averageavg meterm
baudBd meter-kilogram-secondMKS
beat-frequency oscillatorBFO microampereμA
binary coded decimalBCD microfaradμF
bitb microgrmμg
British thermal unitBtu microhenryμH
caloriecal micrometerμm
candelacd micromhoμΩ-1
candela per square footcd/ft2 microsecondμs
candela per square metercd/m2 microwattμW
cathode-ray oscilloscopeCRO mile (statute)mi
cathode-ray tubeCRT mile per hourmi/h
centimetercm milliamperemA
circular milcmil milligrammg
continuous waveCW millihenrymH
coulombC milliliterml
cubic centimetercm3 millimetermm
cubic foot per minuteft3/min millisecondms
cubic meterm3 millivoltmV
cubic meter per secondm3/s milliwattmW
decibeldB minute (plane angle)…′
degree (plane angle)...° minute (time)min
degree (temperature interval or difference)deg nanofaradnF
degree Celsius°C nanometernm
degree Fahrenheit°F nanosecondns
degree Rankine°R nanowattnW
diameterdiam neperNp
direct currentdc newtonN
electromagnetic compatibilityEMC newton meterN · m
electromagnetic unitEMU newton per square meterN/m2
electromotive forceEMF ohmΩ
electronic data processingEDP ounce (avoirdupois)oz
electronvolteV per unitpu
electrostatic unitESU phase modulationPM
extra-high voltageEHV picoamperepA
extremely high frequencyEHF picofaradpF
extremely low frequencyELF picosecondps
faradF picowattpW
field-effect transistorFET poundlb
footft pound per square inchlb/in2
foot per minuteft/min poundalpdl
foot per secondft/s pound-forcelbf
foot pound-forceft-lbf pound-force footlbf · ft
frequency modulationFM pound-force per square inchlbf/in2
gallongal power factorPF
gallon per minutegal/min radianrad
gaussG radio frequencyRF
gigaelectronvoltGeV radio-frequency interferenceRFI
gigahertzGHz resistance-capacitanceRC
gramg resistance-inductance-capacitanceRLC
henryH revolution per minuter/min
hertzHz revolution per secondr/s
high voltageHV roentgenR
hourh root-mean-squarerms
inchin second (plane angle)...″
inch per secondin/s second (time)s
inductance-capacitanceLC shortwaveSW
inertiakg · m2 or lb · ft2 SiemensS
infraredIR signal-to-noise ratioSNR
inside diameterID silicon controlled rectifierSCR
intermediate frequencyIF square footft2
jouleJ square inchin2
joule per degreeJ/deg square meterm2
kelvinK square yardyd2
kiloelectronvoltkeV standing-wave ratioSWR
kilogramkg television interferenceTVI
kilohertzkHz teslaT
kilohm thousand circular milskcmil
kilojoulekj transverse electricTE
kilometerkm transverse electromagneticTEM
kilometer per hourkm/h transverse magneticTM
kilovarkvar traveling-wave tubeTWT
kilovoltkV vacuum-tube voltmeterVTVM
kilovoltamperekVA varvar
kilowattkW variable-frequency oscillatorVFO
kilowatthourkWh very high frequencyVHP
lambertL voltV
literL voltage controlled oscillatorVCO
liter per secondL/s voltage standing-wave ratioVSWR
logarithmlog voltampereVA
logarithm, naturalln wattW
low frequencyLF watt per steradianW/sr
lumenlm watt per steradian square meterW/(sr · m2)
lumen per square footlm/ft2 watthourWh
lumen per square meterlm/m2 weberWb
lumen per wattlm/W yardyd


Adapted from IEEE Standards, "Recommended Unit Symbols, SI Prefixes, and Abbreviations"