newton
- 01 C1 Advanced
a unit used in physics to measure force.
the SI derived unit of force, defined as the force needed to accelerate one kilogram of mass at the rate of one metre per second squared.
Simple“The weight of a small apple is roughly one newton.”
In context“The engineer calculated that the structural support would need to withstand a load of several thousand newtons to ensure safety during high winds.”
UsageSymbolised by the capital letter N; the word itself is not capitalised when used as a unit.
Synonymsn - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a common last name or a name for many towns and cities.
a common habitational surname of English origin or a toponym for various locations.
Simple“Sir Isaac Newton was a famous scientist who studied gravity.”
In context“The historical records indicate that the Newton family held significant land in the county for over three centuries before the industrial revolution.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a type of soft cookie filled with fruit paste, like a Fig Newton.
a trademarked or genericised term for a pastry sheath containing fruit paste.
Simple“He packed a couple of fig newtons in his lunch for a quick snack.”
In context“While the brand name is widely recognised, many bakeries now produce their own version of the classic fruit-filled newton using local ingredients.”
Synonymsfruit bar
“Light was being understood in new ways in the 1600s by Galileo, Newton and other early scientists.”
Inherited from Middle English Neweton, from Old English nēowa tūn (“new town”). Compare same construction in Italian Napoli (“Naples”) and in Arabic نَابُلُس (nābulus, “Nablus”). The unexpected Early Modern pronunciation with /ɛʊ̯/, as securely attested in Richard Hodges' 1644 English Primrose and confirmed by obsolete Welsh Newtwnn, is due to trisyllabic shortening in Old English nēowa tūn or Middle English Neweton.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.