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Electrical & Electronics Engineering vocabulary · Measurement and Test Equipment

Multimeter

Meaning in electrical & electronics engineering, with examples

/ˈmʌltiˌmitər/nounCore term

In electrical & electronics engineering, multimeter means: A handheld or bench instrument that measures voltage, current and resistance, and often continuity, capacitance and frequency as well. It is the most basic tool for electrical testing.

In Turkish: multimetre, avometre, ölçü aleti

How it is used

Used every day by engineers and technicians. You set the multimeter to the right mode or range, connect the test leads and take a reading. A digital multimeter is called a DMM. To measure current you usually move the red lead to a separate A or mA jack.

Example sentences

  1. Grab a multimeter and check the voltage on the 24 V terminals.

  2. My multimeter reads 0.2 Ω with the leads touching, so I subtract that from the result.

Common collocations

  • digital multimeter
  • test leads
  • take a reading
  • multimeter probes
  • set the range
  • oscilloscopeAn instrument that draws a voltage as a graph over time, so you can see the shape, size and timing of a signal. Engineers often just call it a scope.
  • probeThe tip and lead that connect a measuring instrument, such as a multimeter or an oscilloscope, to the point you want to measure.
  • continuityAn unbroken electrical path between two points. A continuity test checks whether current can flow from one point to another, for example along a wire or a PCB trace.
  • voltageThe electrical pressure that pushes current through a circuit, in other words the potential difference between two points. It is measured in volts (V).
  • calibrationThe process of comparing an instrument or sensor with a known reference and adjusting it or recording the results, so that its readings can be trusted.

More terms: Measurement and Test Equipment

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