Wheatstone bridge

noun

Wheat·​stone bridge ˈ(h)wēt-ˌstōn- How to pronounce Wheatstone bridge (audio)
 chiefly British  -stən-
: an electrical bridge consisting of two branches of a parallel circuit joined by a galvanometer and used for determining the value of an unknown resistance in one of the branches

Examples of Wheatstone bridge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
In his writings, Hubbard described the E-meter as a Wheatstone bridge, an electrical circuit designed in 1833 by Samuel Hunter Christie to measure an unknown resistance. IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

after Sir Charles wheatstone

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Wheatstone bridge was in 1872

Dictionary Entries Near Wheatstone bridge

Cite this Entry

“Wheatstone bridge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Wheatstone%20bridge. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

Wheatstone bridge

noun
Wheat·​stone bridge
ˌhwēt-ˌstōn-, ˌwēt-, chiefly British -stən-
: a bridge for measuring electrical resistances that consists of a conductor joining two branches of a circuit

More from Merriam-Webster on Wheatstone bridge

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!