electric

1 of 2

adjective

elec·​tric i-ˈlek-trik How to pronounce electric (audio)
ē-
1
or electrical : of, relating to, or operated by electricity
an electric current
an electric heater
2
: exciting as if by electric shock
an electric performance
an electric personality
also : charged with strong emotion
the room was electric with tension
3
b
: amplifying sound by electronic means
used of a musical instrument
an electric guitar
4
: very bright
electric blue
electric orange
electrically adverb

electric

2 of 2

noun

1
archaic : a nonconductor of electricity used to excite or accumulate electricity
2
: something (such as a light, automobile, or train) operated by electricity

Did you know?

The word electric is derived from the Greek word for amber, elektron. It is only in modern times that practical use has been made of electricity, but some electrical phenomena have been known since antiquity. Certain philosophers of ancient Greece found that by rubbing amber with a piece of cloth, they could enable the amber to pick up light objects, such as feathers. In the 17th century, students of natural science began to discover that other natural phenomena were related to the effect of friction on amber.

Examples of electric in a Sentence

Adjective The device administers a mild electric shock. It plugs into any electric socket. The electrical cord is damaged. There's a problem with the building's electrical wiring. The pianist gave an electric performance. The atmosphere in the room was electric.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
McManus writes: Trump has promised to scrap President Biden’s programs to promote renewable energy, including subsidies for electric vehicles and charging stations. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 The flood of ever-cheaper Chinese electric vehicles was probably a major factor in Apple’s decision to abandon its own auto plans. David Meyer, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 Now de Meo is calling for a European fund to help speed up Europe’s transition to electric vehicles before Chinese EV maker BYD takes over the market. Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 21 Mar. 2024 The project consists of 35 dual-port electric vehicle chargers capable of simultaneously charging 70 trucks and a Just Walk Out store, one of Amazon’s new cashier-less convenience stores that automatically charge customers via their Amazon accounts without the need to check out. Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024 The world’s major electric car manufacturers are already moving away from cobalt, deterred by the human rights abuses, shortages in the supply chain, and fluctuating prices. Sabrina Weiss, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024 That has left the DOT sitting on about $34 million that could be spent on construction of a reliable, accessible and affordable charging network that is seen as a key building block to encouraging more widespread acceptance of electric vehicles. Molly Beck, Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024 From soothing pianos in the main menu to energizing electric guitars and epic chants during its biggest battles, the game has a very eclectic array of songs curated by sound director Ryo Yoshi and lead composer Satoshi Hori. George Yang, Variety, 20 Mar. 2024 Refrain from entering water that might carry an electric current and avoid walking through floodwaters. Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
And then there's the sheer scale of work involved in switching buildings from gas to electric. Jeff Brady, NPR, 4 Mar. 2024 Opponents of the switch from gas to electric often cite price as a deterrent. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 Many local districts are enthusiastic about the health and climate benefits of moving to electric, but there are concerns the technology is not yet up to speed. Hannah Poukish, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2024 General Motors has halted sales on its new electric SUV after the vehicle had software issues, and the company has delayed production of three other electrics. Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 15 Feb. 2024 An electric, enemies-to-lovers romance for the ages? Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 And the range is wide: igloo, electric, raft, infrared, wood-burning, and traditional smoke saunas, to name a few. Lisa Lucas, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles Conclusion: Despite the hubbub over electrics, full-sized pickups like the Sierra are hotter than hot in America – the top three best-selling vehicles in the country are the Ford F-series, Silverado and Ram. Josh Max, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 With so many styles on the market (waiter’s friend, electric, lever, winged, and more), opening a bottle of wine should be seamless and quick, not challenging and messy. Maya Polton, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

New Latin electricus produced from amber by friction, electric, from Medieval Latin, of amber, from Latin electrum amber, electrum, from Greek ēlektron; akin to Greek ēlektōr beaming sun

First Known Use

Adjective

1722, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of electric was in 1646

Dictionary Entries Near electric

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

electric

1 of 2 adjective
elec·​tric i-ˈlek-trik How to pronounce electric (audio)
1
or electrical : of, relating to, operated by, or produced by electricity
an electric current
an electric charge
an electric stove
2
: having a thrilling effect
an electric performance
electrically adverb
electricalness
-kəl-nəs
noun

electric

2 of 2 noun
: something (as a light, automobile, or train) operated by electricity
Etymology

Adjective

from scientific Latin electricus "produced from amber by friction," derived from earlier Latin electrum "amber," derived from Greek ēlektron (same meaning); so called because static electricity was first discovered by the friction produced by rubbing a piece of amber

Medical Definition

electric

adjective
elec·​tric i-ˈlek-trik How to pronounce electric (audio)
variants or electrical
: of, relating to, or operated by electricity
electrically adverb

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