u·nit / ˈyoōnit/ • n. 1. an individual thing or person regarded as single and complete, esp. for purposes of calculation: the family unit. ∎  each of the individuals or collocations into which a complex whole may be divided: large areas of land made up of smaller units the sentence as a unit of grammar. ∎  a device that has a specified function, esp. one forming part of a complex mechanism: the gearbox and transmission unit. ∎  a piece of furniture or equipment for fitting with others like it or made of complementary parts: a sink unit. ∎  a self-contained section of accommodations in a larger building or group of buildings: one- and two-bedroom units. ∎  a part of an institution such as a hospital having a special function: the intensive care unit. ∎  a subdivision of a larger military grouping: he returned to Germany with his unit. ∎  an amount of educational instruction, typically determined by the number of hours spent in class: students take three compulsory core units. ∎  an item manufactured: [as adj.] unit cost. ∎  a police car: he eased into his unit and flicked the siren on. 2. a quantity chosen as a standard in terms of which other quantities may be expressed: a unit of measurement fifty units of electricity. 3. the number one. ∎  (units) the digit before the decimal point in decimal notation, representing an integer less than ten.

unit A specified measure of a physical quantity, such as length, mass, time, etc., specified multiples of which are used to express magnitudes of that physical quantity. For scientific purposes previous systems of units have now been replaced by SI units.

unit (math.) indivisible whole regarded as the base of number XVI; single individual XVII; quantity serving as a standard of measurement XVIII. f. L. ūnus ONE, prob. after digit.

Unit

a group of troops; a special department; a part of a collective whole—Wilkes.