split-second
Syllables: split-sec·ondUK/ˌsplɪtˈsɛk(ə)nd//ˌsplɪtˈsɛkənd/
split-second noun: a stopwatch with two second hands, each of which may be stopped separately to time the intervals of a race by a sportsperson, or to time more than one sportsperson.
Noun
split-second (plural split-seconds)
- A stopwatch with two second hands, each of which may be stopped separately to time the intervals of a race by a sportsperson, or to time more than one sportsperson.
- A fraction of a second; hence (figurative, also attributive) a very short time period; an instant, a moment.
- It's very dangerous, though, when a man thinks for a split second that he understands death.1912, G[ilbert] K[eith] Chesterton, “The Eye of Death; or, The Murder Charge”, in Manalive, New York, N.Y.: John Lane, →OCLC, part II (The Explanations of Innocent Smith), page 182
- I was in the gutter, sitting my bike, willing them to die, […] or otherwise obliterated because this demanded split-second timing.1959, William Golding, chapter 4, in Free Fall, Harbinger Books edition, New York, N.Y.: Harcourt, Brace & World, published 1962, →OCLC, page 82
- Synonyms:
- bat of an eye, bit, blink of an eye, crack, eyeblink, flash, glimpse, half a mo, instant, jiff
split-second meaning in Vietnamese
split-second in Vietnamese
- fraction of a second; very short time period
- chớp mắt, nháy mắt, sát na, tích tắc, tức khắc
Synonyms of split-second
19 more synonymsFewer synonyms
Forms of split-second
| plural | split-seconds |
|---|---|
| alternative form | split second |
Origin of split-second
From split (adjective) + second (noun), from split second(s) hands: see sense 1.
Words that rhyme with split-second
Questions about split-second
- What does split-second mean?
- Split-second means a stopwatch with two second hands, each of which may be stopped separately to time the intervals of a race by a sportsperson, or to time more than one sportsperson.
- What is split-second in Vietnamese?
- Split-second in Vietnamese is chớp mắt, nháy mắt, sát na. See Split-second meaning in Vietnamese.
- What part of speech is split-second?
- Split-second is a noun.
- How do you pronounce split-second?
- Split-second is pronounced /ˌsplɪtˈsɛk(ə)nd/ (UK).
- What is the plural of split-second?
- The plural of split-second is split-seconds.
Words near split-second in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: split-second (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-us-split-second.oga.
Cite this entry: “split-second.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/split-second. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.