voltage
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of voltage
Explanation
Voltage is a measure of electrical energy. If you've got a high-voltage personality, people may use another electrical metaphor and describe you as "a live wire." Someone calculates voltage by determining the difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit. When you travel, you'll want to make sure you bring along adapters to plug into the various sorts of electrical outlets you'll encounter around the world. Your chargers and all your electrical gear should have dual voltage capability, so they can work on electrical currents of 100 volts to 240 volts.
Vocabulary lists containing voltage
Engineering - Introductory
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Electricity and Magnetism - Introductory
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Physical Science - Energy - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
China’s grid, the world’s largest, produces 40% more power than the U.S. and the European Union combined, utilizing 1,000 kV ultra-high voltage lines.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
Conventional step-down converters often struggle when dealing with large differences between input and output voltage.
From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026
By using Ohm's Law, where voltage times conductance equals current, the device performs calculations directly as electricity flows through it.
From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026
Also, the Spanish grid's voltage range is greater than that of many of its neighbours, giving it limited margin in the case of voltage surges that might lead to a disconnection.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
Every component of the machine was disassembled, rebuilt, and reassembled, under the impetus to reach a new voltage threshold.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
