What does gauss mean?
Gauss is chiefly a unit of magnetic flux density in the centimetre–gram–second system. One gauss equals 10^-4 tesla, and the unit is often used when describing the magnitude of a magnetic field, especially in laboratory, medical-imaging, and historical scientific contexts. Modern international practice generally prefers tesla, but gauss remains familiar and practical for expressing weaker fields and for maintaining continuity with older literature. In written text the unit name is lowercase, while G is its symbol. The word also preserves the surname of Carl Friedrich Gauss, the German mathematician and astronomer; it appears in names such as Gauss's law and in the derivative Gaussian, associated with his work on the normal distribution. Thus gauss is both a precisely defined measurement unit and a piece of mathematical eponymy, linking a once-common magnetic unit with Gauss's lasting influence on statistics, geometry, and physics.
nounA unit of magnetic flux density in the centimetre–gram–second system, equal to 10^-4 tesla and used to express the magnitude of a magnetic field. The name also occurs as the surname of the German mathematician and astronomer Carl Friedrich Gauss.
- A unit of magnetic flux density in the centimetre–gram–second system, equal to 10^-4 tesla.
- The proper surname of Carl Friedrich Gauss, as in Gauss's law.
"The field around the magnet measured 800 gauss."
"The laboratory magnet produced a field of 2,000 gauss."
"In the paper, the researchers reported the magnetic field as 500 gauss."
The plural is normally written unchanged, including after numerals.
"The magnet reached 1,500 gauss."
Gauss left us both the normal distribution and a unit for magnetic flux density—two legacies that still shape modern science.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gauss come from?
Gauss is an English-language use of the surname of Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855), the German mathematician and astronomer. The magnetic unit was named in his honor, and one gauss is defined as exactly 10^-4 tesla. The same surname is the source of Gaussian, a term associated with the normal distribution and related mathematical methods.
Related word forms
How gauss is actually used
The unit name is written in lowercase, with G used as its symbol. It is most common in laboratory, medical-imaging, and historical scientific contexts; modern international usage generally prefers tesla.