rheostat

noun

rheo·​stat ˈrē-ə-ˌstat How to pronounce rheostat (audio)
: a resistor for regulating a current by means of variable resistances
rheostatic adjective

Examples of rheostat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Imagine a rheostat for dialing up cornering forces. Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 19 Aug. 2023 But instead of targeting the splicing of gene transcripts, CAMP4’s drugs are directed at regulatory molecules that act like rheostats to control how much of those transcripts are made in the first place. Elie Dolgin, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2023 A rheostat allows the throttle to be fine-tuned to sustain walking speeds. John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, 21 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rheostat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rheostat was in 1843

Dictionary Entries Near rheostat

Cite this Entry

“Rheostat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rheostat. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rheostat

noun
rheo·​stat ˈrē-ə-ˌstat How to pronounce rheostat (audio)
: a resistor for regulating an electric current by the use of variable resistances
rheostatic adjective

Medical Definition

rheostat

noun
rheo·​stat ˈrē-ə-ˌstat How to pronounce rheostat (audio)
: a resistor for regulating a current by means of variable resistances
rheostatic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on rheostat

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