Farad symbol

A capital F, the SI unit symbol for the farad.

ScientificEngineering & technicalStandard profile

Meanings

F is the SI symbol for the farad, the derived unit of capacitance. Practical components are marked in microfarads, nanofarads and picofarads, because one farad is enormous.

Officially standardisedVerified fact
Denotes the farad, the SI derived unit of electric capacitance.
Contexts: Mathematics
Common modern usageVerified fact
Is so large a unit that ordinary components are marked with sub-multiples: µF, nF and pF are the values printed on capacitors, and a bare F is rare outside supercapacitors.
Contexts: Electrical equipment

Visual description

The capital Latin letter F: a vertical stroke with two horizontal arms projecting to the right, one at the top and a shorter one at the middle.

Symmetry: none
Orientation: upright

Used alongside: Capacitor symbol
The circuit symbol shows the component; the unit states its value.

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is defined by a current official standard, but multiple independent sources agree.
Historical originModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but multiple independent sources agree, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is defined by a current official standard, but multiple independent sources agree.
Visual matchHigh confidence: High confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but multiple independent sources agree.

Sources

SI base units
Bureau International des Poids et Mesures · retrieved 2026-07-31
The seven base units and their symbols as published by the defining body. A summary page: the SI Brochure remains the full instrument.
Metric prefix
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-07-31
Tertiary reference. Used for origin narrative and for units the SI does not define, never for an official-definition claim.
SI derived unit
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-07-31
Tertiary reference. Used for origin narrative and for units the SI does not define, never for an official-definition claim.
The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition
Bureau International des Poids et Mesures · retrieved 2026-07-31
The defining document for SI unit names and symbols, including the capitalisation and spacing rules. It defines units; it says nothing about how a symbol is encoded in a character set, and nothing about non-SI units except where it lists those accepted for use with the SI.

Last reviewed 2026-08-01

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Units of measurement and their symbols

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Meanings

F is the SI symbol for the farad, the derived unit of capacitance. Practical components are marked in microfarads, nanofarads and picofarads, because one farad is enormous.

Officially standardisedVerified fact

Denotes the farad, the SI derived unit of electric capacitance.

Contexts: Mathematics

Common modern usageVerified fact

Is so large a unit that ordinary components are marked with sub-multiples: µF, nF and pF are the values printed on capacitors, and a bare F is rare outside supercapacitors.

Contexts: Electrical equipment

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is defined by a current official standard, but multiple independent sources agree.
Historical originModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but multiple independent sources agree, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is defined by a current official standard, but multiple independent sources agree.
Visual matchHigh confidence: High confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but multiple independent sources agree.

Sources

SI base units
Bureau International des Poids et Mesures · retrieved 2026-07-31
The seven base units and their symbols as published by the defining body. A summary page: the SI Brochure remains the full instrument.
Metric prefix
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-07-31
Tertiary reference. Used for origin narrative and for units the SI does not define, never for an official-definition claim.
SI derived unit
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-07-31
Tertiary reference. Used for origin narrative and for units the SI does not define, never for an official-definition claim.
The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition
Bureau International des Poids et Mesures · retrieved 2026-07-31
The defining document for SI unit names and symbols, including the capitalisation and spacing rules. It defines units; it says nothing about how a symbol is encoded in a character set, and nothing about non-SI units except where it lists those accepted for use with the SI.

Last reviewed 2026-08-01

Meanings

Visual description

Related & commonly confused symbols

Meanings

Visual description

Related & commonly confused symbols