Main Entry: elec·tro·lyte

Pronunciation: \i-ˈlek-trə-ˌlīt\

Function: noun

Date: 1834

1 : a nonmetallic electric conductor in which current is carried by the movement of ions
2 a : a substance that when dissolved in a suitable solvent or when fused becomes an ionic conductor b : any of the ions (as of sodium or calcium) that in biological fluid regulate or affect most metabolic processes (as the flow of nutrients into and waste products out of cells)