photovoltaic

adjective

pho·​to·​vol·​ta·​ic ˌfō-tō-väl-ˈtā-ik 

-vōl-

: of, relating to, or utilizing the generation of a voltage when radiant energy falls on the boundary between dissimilar substances (such as two different semiconductors)

photovoltaic noun

Examples of photovoltaic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Since China is such a large supplier of products like photovoltaic panels to generate electricity and batteries to store energy, US clean energy developers will likely have to turn to more expensive suppliers. —Umair Irfan, Vox, 22 Apr. 2025

Its dust-laden winds can create visibility issues for aviation and reduce the efficiency of solar farms by coating photovoltaic panels with dust and haze. —Christophe Lavaysse, JSTOR Daily, 17 Apr. 2025

An ambitious solar energy initiative includes more than 4,100 photovoltaic panels installed on the top of the central building and parking areas. —Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 16 Apr. 2025

Trump’s tariffs of 46% on Vietnam, 36% on Thailand, 24% on Malaysia and 49% on Cambodia mean photovoltaic goods from those countries will soon be dramatically more expensive, discouraging new solar installations. —Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for photovoltaic

• allogeneic
• algebraic
• aramaic
• formulaic
• ptolemaic
• syngeneic
• altaic
• archaic
• deltaic
• hebraic
• mosaic
• oleic