electric

1 of 2

adjective

elec·​tric i-ˈlek-trik How to pronounce electric (audio)
ē-
1
or electrical : of, relating to, or operated by electricity
an electric current
an electric heater
2
: exciting as if by electric shock
an electric performance
an electric personality
also : charged with strong emotion
the room was electric with tension
3
b
: amplifying sound by electronic means
used of a musical instrument
an electric guitar
4
: very bright
electric blue
electric orange
electrically adverb

electric

2 of 2

noun

1
archaic : a nonconductor of electricity used to excite or accumulate electricity
2
: something (such as a light, automobile, or train) operated by electricity

Did you know?

The word electric is derived from the Greek word for amber, elektron. It is only in modern times that practical use has been made of electricity, but some electrical phenomena have been known since antiquity. Certain philosophers of ancient Greece found that by rubbing amber with a piece of cloth, they could enable the amber to pick up light objects, such as feathers. In the 17th century, students of natural science began to discover that other natural phenomena were related to the effect of friction on amber.

Examples of electric in a Sentence

Adjective The device administers a mild electric shock. It plugs into any electric socket. The electrical cord is damaged. There's a problem with the building's electrical wiring. The pianist gave an electric performance. The atmosphere in the room was electric.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Joby will use the proceeds for the certification and commercial production of its electric air taxis, according to the statement. Zinnia Lee, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 Lebanon's wine industry has experienced everything from daily electric outages to literal war. Christina Pickard, Bon Appétit, 3 Oct. 2024
Noun
Hyundai, including its Genesis luxury brand and Kia sibling, has a lineup of nine cars and crossovers ranging from about $34,000 for the Hyundai Kona electric to $80,000 for the Genesis G80. Michael Wayland, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2024 Despite being electric, the Nevera offers a lot of emotion. Morgan Korn, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for electric 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'electric.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

New Latin electricus produced from amber by friction, electric, from Medieval Latin, of amber, from Latin electrum amber, electrum, from Greek ēlektron; akin to Greek ēlektōr beaming sun

First Known Use

Adjective

1722, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of electric was in 1646

Dictionary Entries Near electric

Cite this Entry

“Electric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/electric. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

electric

1 of 2 adjective
elec·​tric i-ˈlek-trik How to pronounce electric (audio)
1
or electrical : of, relating to, operated by, or produced by electricity
an electric current
an electric charge
an electric stove
2
: having a thrilling effect
an electric performance
electrically adverb
electricalness
-kəl-nəs
noun

electric

2 of 2 noun
: something (as a light, automobile, or train) operated by electricity
Etymology

Adjective

from scientific Latin electricus "produced from amber by friction," derived from earlier Latin electrum "amber," derived from Greek ēlektron (same meaning); so called because static electricity was first discovered by the friction produced by rubbing a piece of amber

Medical Definition

electric

adjective
elec·​tric i-ˈlek-trik How to pronounce electric (audio)
variants or electrical
: of, relating to, or operated by electricity
electrically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on electric

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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