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e·lec·tric·i·ty
 electricity
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- pronunciation:
- ih
lek
trI
sih
ti
- features:
- Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
Electricity is a kind of energy that is used to produce light and heat and to make certain things work. Electricity makes computers run and light bulbs shine. Electricity also makes cars start.
We didn't have electricity after the storm, so we used candles for light.
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| definition 2: |
When we talk about electricity between people, we mean excitement or tension.
When the game became tied, you could feel the electricity in the crowd. |
Electricity is from an ancient Greek word that means "produced by amber." The Greek word was in existence many centuries before electricity was discovered. Why did the discoverers of electricity choose such an old word for something so new? Amber is tree resin that has hardened over centuries. When it is rubbed, amber produces static electricity and attracts light objects. The ancient Greeks observed this characteristic of amber and had a word for it, without knowing what caused it.
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some actions related to electricity |
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break, charge, conduct, plug in, power, shock, wire |
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some aspects of electricity |
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charge, current, resistance |
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some broader categories that include electricity |
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energy, power |
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some means for transporting electricity |
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cable, conductor, cord, line, wire |
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some people associated with electricity |
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electrician, engineer |
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some places associated with producing electricity |
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dam, windmill |
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some things associated with electricity |
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circuit, outlet, plug, short, signal, socket, switch |
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some things in nature associated with electricity |
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lightning |
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some things that produce electricity |
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battery, friction |
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some things that use electricity |
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appliances, calculators, computers, lamps, motors, radios, receivers, satellites, telephones, televisions, toys |
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