any group or individual, esp when regarded as a basic element of a larger whole
3.
a mechanical part or integrated assembly of parts that performs a subsidiary function
a filter unit
4.
a complete system, apparatus, or establishment that performs a specific function
a production unit
5.
a subdivision of a larger military formation
6. Also called: unit of measurement
a standard amount of a physical quantity, such as length, mass, energy, etc, specified multiples of which are used to express magnitudes of that physical quantity
the second is a unit of time
7.
the amount of a drug, vaccine, etc, needed to produce a particular effect
8.
a standard measure used in calculating alcohol intake and its effect
9. mathematics
a. (usually plural)
the first position in a place-value counting system, representing a single-digit number
in the decimal system the number 27 has 7 units and 2 tens
b. (modifier)
having a value defined as one for the system
unit vector
10. Also called: unit set mathematics, logic
a set having a single member
11. short for home unit
12. short for stock unit
13. New Zealand
a self-propelled railcar
Word origin
C16: back formation from unity, perhaps on the model of digit