electrode

American  

[ih-lek-trohd] / ɪˈlɛk troʊd /

noun

Electricity.

1. a conductor, not necessarily metallic, through which a current enters or leaves a nonmetallic medium, as an electrolytic cell, arc generator, vacuum tube, or gaseous discharge tube.

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electrode British  

/ ɪˈlɛktrəʊd /

noun

1. a conductor through which an electric current enters or leaves an electrolyte, an electric arc, or an electronic valve or tube

2. an element in a semiconducting device that emits, collects, or controls the movement of electrons or holes

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electrode Scientific  

/ ĭ-lĕk′trōd′ /

1. A conductor through which an electric current enters or leaves a substance (or a vacuum) whose electrical characteristics are being measured, used, or manipulated. Electrodes can be used to detect electrical activity such as brain waves. Terminal points in electrical components such as transistors, diodes, and batteries are electrodes.

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Other Word Forms

• interelectrode noun

Etymology

Origin of electrode

First recorded in 1825–35; electr- + -ode ²

Example Sentences

Eventually, they reach the bottom electrode, creating a permanent connection that short-circuits the device and leaves it stuck in the on state.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

Sheets of copper and aluminum go through machines that coat electrode slurry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

When viewed under an electron microscope, these signals provide detailed maps of where specific elements are located and what the electrode surface looks like.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2026

These binders act like a glue that holds the electrode materials together.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2026

One half of the chamber’s interior was occupied by a hollow semicircular electrode shaped like the letter D and known forever more as a “dee.”

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik