fuel cell

noun

: a device that continuously changes the chemical energy of a fuel (such as hydrogen) and an oxidant directly into electrical energy

Examples of fuel cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The 114-meter (374-feet) Cosmos that was launched at our shipyard in Rensburg recently is especially exciting because that owner has agreed to a test installation of a methanol fuel cell, which is a huge undertaking. Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 In recent years, local transit agencies have increasingly adopted hydrogen fuel cell buses, and thousands of California drivers have bought personal hydrogen cars, though fuel availability has proved spotty. Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025 When powered by ‘green hydrogen’—hydrogen produced using renewable energy—these fuel cell systems offer a path to carbon-dioxide-free mobility. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025 Carthage College in Wisconsin will test new methods for gauging propellant levels in space, while a Teledyne payload, developed with NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, will test the a spacecraft fuel cell system before its possible use on moon and Mars missions. Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 23 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fuel cell

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fuel cell was in 1922

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Cite this Entry

“Fuel cell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fuel%20cell. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

fuel cell

noun
: a device that continuously changes the chemical energy of a fuel (as hydrogen) into electrical energy

More from Merriam-Webster on fuel cell

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