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

With Parkinson’s, doctors implant electrodes in the brain that produce electrical impulses to disrupt the abnormal signals that cause tremors, stiffness and slow movement. —Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025

That's due to polarization, which hampers the movement of lithium ions into the battery's electrodes during rapid charging and discharging. —Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025

When the electrodes stay apart, the battery doesn’t catch fire. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025

On Earth, bubbles rise away from electrodes, but in microgravity, spinning is required to separate them. —Andrew Jones, Space.com, 2 Sep. 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