abbreviation

rpm

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Rpm (abbreviation) means Revolutions per minute — a measure of how many full turns something makes each minute, used especially of engines, motors and hard drives. Example: “The engine redlines at 7,000 rpm.”

abbreviation

Revolutions per minute — a measure of how many full turns something makes each minute, used especially of engines, motors and hard drives.

"The engine redlines at 7,000 rpm."

"A washing machine spinning at 1,400 rpm gets clothes noticeably drier."

The playing speed of a vinyl record, given as turns of the turntable per minute.

"Albums are usually 33 rpm and singles 45 rpm."

advertising Revenue per mille — the amount a channel, site or app earns for every thousand views or impressions.

"His channel averages an RPM of about four dollars."

How to Use Rpm

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHow many times something spins round in a minute.

When to use it

Neutral and technical; usually lower case in prose, upper case in the advertising sense.

Memory tip

Rpm is both singular and plural; never write rpms in technical writing, though revs is a normal spoken plural.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

CPM MPH torque →

Common pairings

engine rpm high rpm idle rpm 33 rpm

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The engine redlines at 7,000 _____.

Etymology

An initialism of revolutions per minute.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

revs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between RPM and CPM?

CPM is what an advertiser pays per thousand impressions. RPM is what the publisher actually receives per thousand views after the platform takes its cut and after views that carry no ads are counted in. RPM is therefore always the lower and more useful number for a creator.

What is a good idle rpm for a car?

Most modern petrol engines idle between about 600 and 1,000 rpm when warm. Idling much higher or lurching up and down usually points to a fault rather than a design feature.