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gigacycle per second

gigacycle per second

4.9
A measure of cycles per second equal to one billion
  • noun
  • /ˈɡɪɡəˌsaɪkəl pər ˈsɛkənd/
  • Archaic
translation icon : gigaciclo por segundo
  • A frequency of one gigacycle per second is commonly referred to as one gigahertz.

Examples

  • The processor operates at 3 gigacycles per second.

  • Data transmission rates can now reach several gigacycles per second in advanced networks.

  • The new processor operates at a speed of 2 gigacycles per second.

  • Can you believe this device runs at 5 gigacycles per second?

  • A frequency of one gigacycle per second is commonly referred to as one gigahertz.

  • The new processor operates at a speed of 2 gigacycles per second.

  • Data transmission rates can now reach several gigacycles per second in advanced networks.

Synonyms

GHz
vsgigacycle per second
  • Specialized
12 3.7

A unit that shows one billion cycles per second, used for computer processors and Wi-Fi

is written as the full phrase rather than the symbol
gigahertz
vsgigacycle per second
  • Specialized
4 5.6

A unit for measuring how often something repeats, equal to one billion times each second

is the phrase form rather than this concise unit name
Gc
vsgigacycle per second
  • Archaic
4 8.9

A symbol for one billion cycles per second, like gigahertz

is the general phrase used in plain descriptions rather than technical shorthand
gigacycle
vsgigacycle per second
  • Archaic
9.1

A unit for the number of times something repeats in one second equal to one billion

is the multiword phrase form instead of the single-word name

Surface Forms

Morphology

gigacycle + per + second

The phrase is a straightforward compositional measurement: 'gigacycle' (one billion cycles) combined with 'per' (indicating rate) and 'second' (time unit) yields 'one billion cycles each second.' It follows the common 'X per Y' pattern used for rates across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can derive the meaning.

Etymology

Gigacycle per second comes from its parts: giga means 'billion', cycle means a single repeated action, and second is one unit of time, so the phrase pictures a billion repeats every second. That's why it means 'one gigahertz'.