dynamo

noun

dy·​na·​mo ˈdī-nə-ˌmō 

plural dynamos

1

: generator sense 1b

2

: a forceful energetic individual

Did you know?

The dynamo was introduced in 1867 to produce electricity for commercial use. Like all later generators, the original dynamos changed mechanical energy (produced by steam, which was itself produced by burning coal) into electricity. The word is less used today than it once was, since it's often applied only to generators that produced direct electric current (DC) rather than alternating current (AC), which is now the standard. A human dynamo is a person who seems to have unlimited energy.

Synonyms of dynamo

• pistol
• powerhouse

Examples of dynamo in a Sentence

a dynamo who barely needs to sleep, or so it seems

Recent Examples on the Web

Cancer is personal for pop-music vocal dynamo Pink, whose Vietnam War veteran father died of the disease in 2021. —George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026

Moore tallied 1,450 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns in those three seasons with the Cardinals, but he might be better known to football fans for his time as an all-purpose dynamo at Purdue. —Jim Reineking, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026

This process, called the solar dynamo, operates deep below the surface. —Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026

But larger rocky worlds such as super-Earths are thought to have cores that are either fully solid or fully liquid, which typically limit the operation of a conventional, Earth-like core dynamo. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

short for dynamo-electric machine, translation of German dynamo-elektrische Maschine; dynamo-elektrisch, probably by inversion of elektrodynamisch electrodynamic

Note: According to the Oxford English Dictionary (first edition, 1897), "The full name dynamo-electric machine was given by [Werner] Siemens in 1867, to distinguish his invention from the magneto-electric machines previously used, in which the electric current was generated by means of a permanent magnet." This statement appears to be based on a citation from The Times (December 5, 1882), according to which, "Professor Thompson [not further identified] said that the name 'dynamo-electric machine' was first applied by Dr. Werner Siemens in a communication made in January, 1867, to the Berlin Academy." The communication in question was "Ueber die Umwandlung von Arbeitskraft in elektrischen Strom ohne Anwendung permanenter Magnete," published in Annalen der Physik und Chemie, Band 130 (1867), pp. 332-35. The article does in fact describe a generator with rotating coils, but nowhere does Siemens use the word dynamo-elektrisch or the phrase dynamo-elektrische Maschine; the closest he comes is magnetelektrisch for the opposing term. The first appearance of dynamo-elektrisch must date some time after this.

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dynamo

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

Kids Definition

dynamo

noun

dy·​na·​mo ˈdī-nə-ˌmō 

plural dynamos

1

: generator sense a

2

: a forceful energetic person