Meanings
plural Planck times · abbreviation t_P
- natural sciencesA natural unit of time, equivalent to the time it takes light to traverse one Planck length; it is the duration of time at which quantum gravity effects are expected to become significant.
1 more example
As Dr. Feynman noted, there are still shorter scales of time and distance to go before we reach the ultimate limits imposed by quantum physics: the Planck length, 10^-33 of a centimeter, and the Planck time, 10^-43 of a second. Both are named for the German physicist Max Planck, who made the breakthrough that led to quantum mechanics.
2023 October 9, Dennis Overbye, “The Science Nobel Winners Were Short and Fast”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 12 Oct 2023
Translations
French temps de Planck
- temps de Planckunit of time, believed to be the scale at which quantum gravity effects become significant
Japanese プランク時間
- プランク時間 (puranku jikan)unit of time, believed to be the scale at which quantum gravity effects become significant
Korean 플랑크 시간
- 플랑크 시간 (peullangkeu sigan)unit of time, believed to be the scale at which quantum gravity effects become significant
Polish czas Plancka
- czas Planckaunit of time, believed to be the scale at which quantum gravity effects become significant
Cite this entry
Planck time. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Planck%20time
“Planck time.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Planck%20time. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Planck time,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Planck%20time.
Source: Planck time on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.