rheostat

[ ree-uh-stat ]

noun

, Electricity.

1. an adjustable resistor so constructed that its resistance may be changed without opening the circuit in which it is connected, thereby controlling the current in the circuit.

rheostat

/ ˈriːəˌstæt /

noun

1. a variable resistance, usually consisting of a coil of wire with a terminal at one end and a sliding contact that moves along the coil to tap off the current

rheostat

/ rē′ə-stăt′ /

1. See under resistor

Derived Forms

• ˌrheoˈstatic, adjective

Other Words From

• rheo·static adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rheostat¹

First recorded in 1843; rheo- + -stat

Example Sentences

In a screen to identify key regulators of this process, retinoic acid, the biologically active form of Vitamin A, surfaced as a surprising rheostat.

From Science Daily

What is revealed is hardly as important as being made to wait for it‌: a pile of wires and rheostats transformed into a sculpture that breathes in an endless night.

From New York Times

“It’s not an on-off switch. It’s a rheostat,” the former senior official said.

From Washington Post

Rather than a binary on/off switch, conflict is now seen as something closer to a rheostat, which can be dialed up or down as conditions require.

From Washington Post

“It’s more of a rheostat than a switch, really.”

From Literature