digital watch

Definition

A wristwatch that displays time using a digital numeric display (LED or LCD) rather than analog hands, first popularized in the 1970s. Digital watches replaced mechanical watches as affordable, accurate, battery-powered alternatives.

Example Usage

Kids in the '80s thought digital watches were futuristic compared to their parents' analog timepieces.

Origin

Developed by semiconductor companies in the late 1960s; mass-produced by brands like Casio and Texas Instruments starting in the 1970s.

Fun Fact

Early digital watches required frequent battery changes and were prone to moisture damage, but improvements in LCD technology made them mainstream by the 1980s.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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