milliseconds
Blinks pass slower
Milliseconds is the plural of millisecond—one thousandth of a second.
The unit measures intervals too brief for human perception but critical in computing, sports timing, and scientific measurement.
A blink takes about 300 milliseconds.
Network latency of 50 milliseconds feels instantaneous; 500 milliseconds feels sluggish.
Delay in system response
- jitterSmall, rapid variation
- synchronizationAligning timing across systems
- timingArt of choosing moments
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
measurement · accuracy · interval · stopwatch · chronometer · timecode · oscillator · quartz
Billionths of seconds
- microsecondsMillion per second
- secondsTime units, or extras
- centisecondsHundredths of seconds
- picosecondsTrillionths of a second
increments · intervals · duration · ticks · cycles · frames · samples · pulses
Passing very quickly
- momentaryLasting very briefly
- instantaneousHappening without any delay
- blinkRapid lid movement
- flashBrief burst of light
imperceptible · heartbeat · jiffy · ephemeral · transient · evanescent · quick · rapid
Automatic physical responses
- processingSystematic operation on data
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- accelerationRate velocity changes
- sprintBrief maximum-speed effort
dart · swift · rapid-fire · fast-paced · breakneck · burst · surge · blitz
latency
Delay in system response
- jitterSmall, rapid variation
- synchronizationAligning timing across systems
- timingArt of choosing moments
calibration · measurement · accuracy · interval · stopwatch · chronometer · timecode · oscillator · quartz · frequency
nanoseconds
Billionths of seconds
- microsecondsMillion per second
- secondsTime units, or extras
- centisecondsHundredths of seconds
picoseconds · increments · intervals · duration · ticks · cycles · frames · samples · pulses · beats
fleeting
Passing very quickly
- momentaryLasting very briefly
- instantaneousHappening without any delay
- blinkRapid lid movement
flash · imperceptible · heartbeat · jiffy · ephemeral · transient · evanescent · quick · rapid · sudden
reflexes
Automatic physical responses
- processingSystematic operation on data
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- accelerationRate velocity changes
sprint · dart · swift · rapid-fire · fast-paced · breakneck · burst · surge · blitz · fps