grid

noun

ˈgrid 

1

: grating

2

a(1)

: a perforated or ridged metal plate used as a conductor in a storage battery

(2)

: an electrode consisting of a mesh or a spiral of fine wire in an electron tube

(3)

: a network of conductors for distribution of electric power

also : a network of radio or television stations

b

: a network of uniformly spaced horizontal and perpendicular lines (as for locating points on a map)

also : something resembling such a network

a road grid

c

: gridiron sense 3

broadly : football

3

: the starting positions of cars on a racecourse

4

: a device in a photocomposer on which are located the characters to be exposed as the text is composed

Examples of grid in a Sentence

The students plotted points on a grid.

The city streets form a grid.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nonpartisan experts who have studied the subject believe the increasing cost of upgrading the grid, with new transmission lines or other facilities, is the single factor most responsible for rate increases. —Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025

Solar panels are also being installed to reduce its electricity draw on the power grid, and water usage will be mitigated with the collection and reuse of rainwater. —New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2025

Partnering across industries such as grid storage, electronics, and defense can amplify impact, as capital follows anchor customers. —Shilpan Amin, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025

Built on a 2x6, 24-inch grid, every element, from the trusses to the cabinetry, follows this rhythm, creating visual harmony throughout. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from gridiron

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grid

• cattle grid
• micro-grid
• off-grid
• off-the-grid

Rhymes for grid

• bid
• did
• hid
• id
• lid
• mid
• quid
• rid
• skid
• slid
• squid
• amid

Kids Definition

grid

noun

ˈgrid 

1

: grating sense 1

2

: a metal plate used as a conductor in a storage battery

3

: an element of an electron tube consisting of a network of fine wire

4

: a network of horizontal and perpendicular lines (as for locating points on a map using coordinates or for counting a sample of particles or organisms on a microscope slide)

5

: a network of conductors for distribution of electrical power

also : a network of radio or television stations