FPS
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Frames per second |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Technology & Computing, Arts & Entertainment, Units & Measurements, Business & Finance |
| Also written | fps |
FPS has four meanings. The most common are Frames per second (consumer electronics) and First-person shooter (video game); it can also stand for Feet per second and Faster Payments Service.
Meanings of FPS at a glance
| # | FPS stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frames per second | Technology & Computing › Consumer Electronics |
| 2 | First-person shooter | Arts & Entertainment › Video Game |
| 3 | Feet per second | Units & Measurements › Engineering Unit |
| 4 | Faster Payments Service | Business & Finance › Banking |
1. Frames per second
Technology & Computing · Consumer Electronics Abbreviations · also used in measurement and entertainment
Number of individual images displayed or recorded each second in video, film and games; higher values give smoother motion. Cinema uses 24 FPS, television 25 or 30, and many games aim for 60 or more.
Example: The console runs the game at 60 FPS in performance mode and 30 FPS in quality mode.
NTSC regions use 29.97 FPS for historical reasons tied to color broadcasting, while PAL regions use 25. Peter Jackson's The Hobbit (2012) was released in 48 FPS high frame rate, which divided audiences. Slow-motion video is captured at 120 or 240 FPS and played back at normal speed. In gaming, FPS also names the first-person shooter genre.
2. First-person shooter
Arts & Entertainment · Video Game Abbreviations
Shooting game viewed through the eyes of the player character, with the weapon shown in the foreground. Major series include Call of Duty, Halo, Counter-Strike and Doom.
Example: Counter-Strike remains the most-played competitive FPS on Steam.
Wolfenstein 3D (1992) and Doom (1993) by id Software established the genre; early imitators were called "Doom clones". In gaming and video, fps (usually lowercase) also means frames per second, a measure of smoothness, so context decides which is meant.
3. Feet per second (fps)
Units & Measurements · Engineering Unit Abbreviations
A US customary speed unit used in ballistics, fluid flow and engineering. Rifle and airgun muzzle velocities are quoted in fps, typically about 2,500 to 3,300 fps for centerfire rifles.
Example: The .308 load leaves the muzzle at 2,700 fps.
One foot per second equals 0.3048 m/s, about 0.68 mph. Paintball fields commonly cap markers at around 280 to 300 fps for safety. In video and gaming, fps means frames per second, so context decides. Also written ft/s.
4. Faster Payments Service
Business & Finance · Banking Abbreviations
UK payment system, launched in 2008, that moves money between bank accounts in near real time, usually within seconds, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. It carries most online and mobile banking transfers in the UK.
Example: The refund arrived by FPS within a minute of the shop processing it.
Operated by Pay.UK, the scheme allows payments of up to £1 million, though banks set lower limits for personal customers. Fraud in which victims are tricked into sending Faster Payments led UK regulators to introduce mandatory reimbursement rules for victims. Hong Kong's Faster Payment System, launched in 2018, is also abbreviated FPS.
Related abbreviations
More consumer electronics abbreviations
- EPG – Electronic program guide
- EQ – Equalizer
- FHD – Full High Definition
- FOV – Field of view
- GaN – Gallium nitride
- HD – High definition
- HDCP – High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection
- HDR – High dynamic range
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