electrode

noun

elec·​trode i-ˈlek-ˌtrōd 

1

: a conductor used to establish electrical contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit

2

: an element in a semiconductor device (such as a transistor) that emits or collects electrons or holes or controls their movements

Examples of electrode in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Current collectors are thin metallic layers that transport the electrons between the electrodes and the external circuit (both ways to and from the electrode). —IEEE Spectrum, 10 May 2025

Even while human test subjects performed their regular activities, the electrode remained securely attached to the scalp for 24 hours. —New Atlas, 5 May 2025

Many recipients become adept at interpreting the electrodes’ signals as intelligible sounds, especially if the implantation is done in infancy, but others struggle. —David Owen, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025

Lithium-ion batteries have a finite amount of charges in them as the electrodes can only expand and contract so many times (this is the process of charging and discharging). —Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing electrode

• inter-electrode

Rhymes for electrode

• interelectrode

Kids Definition

electrode

noun

elec·​trode i-ˈlek-ˌtrōd 

: a conductor (as a metal or carbon) used to make electrical contact with a part of an electrical circuit that is not metallic

Medical Definition

electrode

noun

elec·​trode i-ˈlek-ˌtrōd 

: a conductor used to establish electrical contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit