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

But virtually all of Ukraine's regions now routinely face rolling blackouts, imposed to help protect the country's grid while repairs are carried out, leaving millions with only hours of power. —David Brennan, ABC News, 10 Dec. 2025

There is also some truth to the old adage that time heals all wounds, and Loughlin has been off-the-grid for some time now. —Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025

Duke Energy is investing billions to upgrade its power grid, in part responding to unprecedented demand expected from a surge in new data centers. —Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 10 Dec. 2025

Solar storms produce space weather that can irradiate astronauts and people in planes, disrupt satellites’ electronics and drag their orbits down and even affect the electrical grid and cell phone coverage. —Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 10 Dec. 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