# Watts

/ˈwɑts/ (US) · /wˈɒts/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/watts
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. electrical power units

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the plural of watt, a unit that measures how much electricity a device uses.

For teachers: the plural form of the watt, the SI unit of power, defined as one joule per second.

- This new microwave uses 900 watts of power to cook food quickly.
- The engineer calculated that the total load on the circuit would exceed three thousand watts, necessitating a higher-capacity fuse.

Usage: Usually follows a number; often abbreviated as 'W' in technical documents.

### 2. a surname

noun · CEFR B2

a common English family name.

For teachers: a common English surname derived from the given name Watt, a diminutive of Walter.

- James Watts is the name of the new manager in the accounting department.
- The historical archives contain several documents signed by the Watts family during the late nineteenth century.

### 3. a place in Los Angeles

noun · CEFR C1 · American English

a famous neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California.

For teachers: a specific district in southern Los Angeles, California, known historically for the 1965 civil unrest.

- The community center in Watts offers many programs for local teenagers.
- Sociologists often study the urban development of Watts as a case study in mid-century American social history.

## Examples

- This light bulb uses only nine watts of power.
- The back of the microwave shows how many watts it uses to heat food quickly.
- Engineers must calculate the total watts required by the data center to ensure the backup generators can handle the load during a power failure.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.