triboelectricity
noun
tri·bo·elec·tric·i·ty
ˌtrī-bō-i-ˌlek-ˈtri-sə-tē 
ˌtri-,
-ˈtri-stē
: a charge of electricity generated by friction (as by rubbing glass with silk)
Examples of triboelectricity in a Sentence
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That’s because this type of electricity (also known as triboelectricity) typically builds up in materials that don’t conduct a charge very well, like rubber or plastic, which causes it to get stuck.
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Alex Fox, Science | AAAS, 12 Sep. 2019
When two different materials repeatedly collide with, or rub against, one another, the surface of one material can steal electrons from the other, accumulating a charge, a phenomenon known as triboelectricity.
—Charles Q. Choi, Washington Post, 9 June 2018
When two different materials repeatedly collide with, or rub against, one another, the surface of one material can steal electrons from the surface of the other, accumulating a charge, a phenomenon known as triboelectricity.
—Charles Q. Choi, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2018
Triboelectricity is unpredictable, but engineers in the last few years have been creating innovative ways to capture its potential, ranging from electrodes in car tires to wood boards that create static when stepped on.
—Ben Panko, Smithsonian, 5 July 2017
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Alex Fox, Science | AAAS, 12 Sep. 2019
When two different materials repeatedly collide with, or rub against, one another, the surface of one material can steal electrons from the other, accumulating a charge, a phenomenon known as triboelectricity.
—Charles Q. Choi, Washington Post, 9 June 2018
When two different materials repeatedly collide with, or rub against, one another, the surface of one material can steal electrons from the surface of the other, accumulating a charge, a phenomenon known as triboelectricity.
—Charles Q. Choi, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2018
Triboelectricity is unpredictable, but engineers in the last few years have been creating innovative ways to capture its potential, ranging from electrodes in car tires to wood boards that create static when stepped on.
—Ben Panko, Smithsonian, 5 July 2017
Cite this Entry
“Triboelectricity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/triboelectricity. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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