generator

play

noun gen·er·a·tor \ ˈje-nə-ˌrā-tər \

Definition of generator

1 :one that generates: such as

a :an apparatus in which vapor or gas is formed

b :a machine by which mechanical energy is changed into electrical energy

2 :a mathematical entity that when subjected to one or more operations yields another mathematical entity or its elements; specifically :generatrix

See generator defined for English-language learners

See generator defined for kids

Examples of generator in a Sentence

This new product will be a major revenue generator.
a backup generator for the store

Recent Examples of generator from the Web

For instance, some phone companies have towers in places where local regulations might forbid fuel tanks and generators.

— todd shields, Bloomberg.com, "Harvey Knockout of Cell Service Revives Talk of Backup Power," 30 Aug. 2017
Below the dam: Cotter Trout Dock reports: five to 10 generators in use; trout good (particularly browns) on 1/8 -ounce white or white/gray jigs, sculpins and crawfish.

— bruce janssen, kansascity, "Fishing report for Aug. 31," 30 Aug. 2017
Emergency electrical generators kicked on during the height of the storm, and researchers hope that kept pumps and bubblers going in tanks full of larval fish and other aquatic creatures.

— science news staff, Science | AAAS, "As Harvey hovers, researchers take stock," 28 Aug. 2017
Elsewhere, ghostly scenes underscored the destruction in a place long seen as one of the nation’s most dynamic generators of growth and prosperity.

— julie turkewitz, manny fernandez and alan blinder, New York Times, "In Houston, Anxiety and Frantic Rescues as Floodwaters Rise," 27 Aug. 2017
In order to siphon off enough heat to neutralize the threat of the volcano, the geothermal generator would have to be run continuously for hundreds or thousands of years.

— avery thompson, Popular Mechanics, "NASA to Stop a Doomsday Supervolcano by Stealing its Heat," 18 Aug. 2017
Children's new patient tower is certain to be an income generator for the nonprofit.

— randy tucker, Cincinnati.com, "Did Children's pay a fair price for Avondale homes?," 14 Aug. 2017
The athletics department will provide portable restroom facilities, but the use of permanent, wooden-type structures, portable generators and propane tanks or other open flames used in cooking is prohibited due to safety concerns.

— fletcher page, The Courier-Journal, "What you need to know for Kentucky's Big Blue Madness," 10 Aug. 2017
Local authorities have advised that Stevensville residents use safety generators and try to stay within their homes as much as possible as dangerous fallen power cables are attended to.

— brittney mcnamara, Teen Vogue, "Man With Chainsaw Injured at Least Five in Switzerland Attack," 24 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'generator.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Generators work by rotating a coil of wire in a magnetic field, causing a current to flow in the wire. A generator may be a huge spinning turbine powered by water, wind, steam, gas, or nuclear reactions, which sends electricity out through power lines to thousands of customers. But normally when we use the word, we're thinking of a small machine powered by gasoline or diesel, such as you might keep in your basement for those times when a storm knocks out your power, to create electricity right in front of your eyes. A special kind of generator called an alternator powers a car's electrical system (including its lights, power steering, etc.) while the car is running.