Dictionary

electricity en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/ (UK)
• /ˌiːlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/ (UK)
• /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/ (US)
• [əˌlɛkˈtɹɪsəɾi] (US)
• [ɪˌlɛkˈt͡ʃɹɪsɪɾi] (US)
• /əˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/ (US)
• /əˌlɛkˈtɹɪs(ə)ti/ (UK)
• /iˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/ (US)
• (US) audio
• [ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪɾi] (US)
• /ˌɛlɪkˈtɹɪsɪti/ (UK)
• [iˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪɾi] (US)

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek ἤλεκτρον (ḗlektron)bor. Latin ēlectrum Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus New Latin ēlectricusbor. English electric Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Latin -itāsder. Old French -itebor. Middle English -ite English -ity English electricity From electric + -ity.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) Originally, a property of amber and certain other nonconducting substances to attract lightweight material when rubbed, or the cause of this property; now understood to be a phenomenon caused by the distribution and movement of charged subatomic particles and their interaction with the electromagnetic field.
   • We may express all these results in a concise and consistent manner by describing an electrified body as charged with a certain quantity of electricity, which we may denote by e. 1873, James Clerk Maxwell, A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism:
   • How does it work, though? It's based on the observation made some 200 years ago that electricity can change the shape of flames. 2011 March 29, Jon Henley, The Guardian:
   • For, reſtoring the equilibrium in the bottle does not at all affect the Electricity in the man thro’ whom the fire paſſes ; that Electricity is neither increaſed nor diminiſhed. 1747 July 28, Benjamin Franklin, letter to Peter Collinson, collected in New Experiments and Observations on Electricity, part I, 3rd edition, London: D. Henry and R. Cape, published 1760, page 8
   • Again, the concretion of Ice will not endure a dry attrition without liquation ; for if it be rubbed long with a cloth, it melteth. But Cryſtal will calefie unto electricity ; that is, a power to attract ſtraws or light bodies, and convert the needle freely placed. 1646, Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, 4th edition, page 56:
   • Attraction, then, is the first phenomenon that arrests our attention, and it is one that is constantly attendant on excitation. It is therefore considered a sure indicator of the presence of electricity in an active state, and forms the basis of all its tests. 1837, William Leithead, Electricity, page 5:
2. (uncountable, usually) The study of electrical phenomena; the branch of science dealing with such phenomena.
   • He took up the job of studying electricity in college.
3. (uncountable, usually) A feeling of excitement; a thrill.
   • The electricity was crackling around Celtic Park even before a ball had been kicked, the home crowd unleashing noise and colour and every ounce of passion in their bodies on the visitors. 2016 September 28, Tom English, “Celtic 3–3 Manchester City”, in BBC Sport:
   • Opening night for the new production had an electricity unlike other openings.
4. (uncountable, usually) Electrical power, as supplied by power stations or generators.
   • This heater draws more than a thousand watts of electricity.
   • [Rural solar plant] schemes are of little help to industry or other heavy users of electricity. Nor is solar power yet as cheap as the grid. For all that, the rapid arrival of electric light to Indian villages is long overdue. When the national grid suffers its next huge outage, as it did in July 2012 when hundreds of millions were left in the dark, look for specks of light in the villages. 2013 July 20, “Out of the gloom”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
   • Householders could one day be producing as much electricity as all the country's nuclear power stations combined, thanks to the revolutionary application of a device developed in the early 19th century. 2000, James Meek, Home-made answer to generating electricity harks back to the past The Guardian:
5. (uncountable, usually) Electrical energy, as supplied by power stations or generators.
   • New facilities consume more electricity than ever. A rack of servers stuffed with AI chips requires about ten times more power than a non-AI version a few years ago. A study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that in 2023 America's data centres used 176 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity. That is forecast to increase to between 325TWh and 580TWh by 2028 (see chart 2), or 7-12% of America's total consumption, with hyperscalers accounting for about half. 2025 July 28, Editorial staff, “How big tech plans to feed AI's voracious appetite for power. As data centres get more energy-hungry, the hyperscalers get more creative”, in The Economist, archived from the original on 28 Jul 2025:
   • Last year this portion of the grid consumed more than a thousand megawatt-hours of electricity.
6. (attributive, often, uncountable, usually) The supply of electricity, as a utility.
   • Electricity bosses set to make record profits.

Forms

Deriveds

electricity pylon · electret · triboelectricity · antiferroelectricity · paraelectricity · magnetricity · ferrielectricity · Triscuit · flexoelectricity · static electricity · geoelectricity · electricity meter · hydricity · magnetoelectricity · piezoelectricity · electrickery · myoelectricity · thermoelectricity · dielectricity · clean electricity · ferroelectricity · radioelectricity · grid electricity · volta-electricity · photoelectricity · pyroelectricity · bioelectricity · electricity-generating · hydroelectricity

Descendants

électricité

Relateds

electric circuit · vacuum · earth · electron · hydro · direct current · vending machines · alternating current · energy · electric current · power · current · electric · circuit

Translations (279)

mg elektrisite (form of energy) · qu pinchikilla (form of energy) · km ភ្លើង (form of energy) · lkt wakȟáŋgli (form of energy) · oc electricitat (form of energy) · mnc ᡨ᠋ᠠᠯᡴᡳᠶᠠᠨ (form of energy) · cmn 電 /电 (form of energy) · tl elektrisidad (form of energy) · fr courant (electrical power) · mr वीज (form of energy) · et elektrivool (electrical power) · to ʻuhila (form of energy) · nl elektriciteit (form of energy) · ln lotilíki (form of energy) · be электры́чнасць (form of energy) · za dienh (form of energy) · kmr elektrîk (form of energy) · tk elektrik (form of energy) · fi sähkö (excitement) · az كهربايى (form of energy) · vi điện khí (form of energy) · cmn 電氣 /电气 (form of energy) · oj ᐙᓴᒨᐐᓐ (form of energy) · is rafmagn (form of energy) · fi sähköoppi (field of physical science and technology) · sh strúja (form of energy) · ky электр (form of energy) · cmn 電力 /电力 (form of energy) · nn elektrisitet (form of energy) · ny magetsi (form of energy) · ps برېښنا (form of energy) · ss gezi (form of energy) · mwl eiletracidade (form of energy) · vi điện lực (form of energy) · mi hiko (electrical power) · nod ᨼᩱᨼ᩶ᩣ (form of energy) · th ไฟฟ้า (form of energy) · bg електроене́ргия (electrical power) · akz apala (form of energy) · mk струја (form of energy) · tum magesi (form of energy) · ko 전력 (electrical power) · id listrik (form of energy) · tn motlakase (form of energy) · kk электр (form of energy) · sv el (form of energy) · ff laktiriisi (form of energy) · ga leictreachas (form of energy) · nb elektrisitet (form of energy) · es electricidad (form of energy) · si විජූලිය (form of energy) · bo གློག་ནུས (electrical power) · eu argindar (form of energy) · sq elektricitet (form of energy) · fa-ira بَرْق (electrical power) · kam sitima (form of energy) · mi uira (form of energy) · xal цаклһан (form of energy) · mwl eilatricidade (form of energy) · prs بَرْق (form of energy) · mfe elektrisite (form of energy) · ru электроэне́ргия (electrical power) · ru электри́чество (form of energy) · km ហ្វៃហ្វា (form of energy) · af elektrisiteit (form of energy) · uli hamiig (form of energy) · ty uira (form of energy) · khb ᦶᦎᧃᧈ (form of energy) · ha wuta (form of energy) · bo གློག (form of energy) · az bərq (form of energy) · thm พัยพา (form of energy) · pt luz (electrical power) · ta மின்சாரம் (electrical power) · wo mbëj (form of energy) · kl innaallagiaq (form of energy) · yi עלעקטרע (form of energy) · ug ئېلېكتر (form of energy) · kl elektriciteti (form of energy) · be электры́чнасьць (form of energy) · lb Elektrescht (form of energy) · ja 電力 (form of energy) · ast lletricidá (form of energy) · yi עלעקטריע (form of energy) · nl stroom (form of energy) · mww faiv fab (form of energy) · yo ìlẹ́ńtíríkì (form of energy) · ta மின்சாரம் (form of energy) · vi điện (form of energy) · sh електрицѝте̄т (form of energy) · de Elektrizität (form of energy) · ve muḓagasi (form of energy) · br tredan (form of energy) · izh elektricestvo (form of energy) · sw umeme (form of energy) · am ኮረንቲ (form of energy) · lt elektra (form of energy) · ru ток (electrical power) · ml വൈദ്യുതി (form of energy) · cbn ฟัยฟาʔ (form of energy) · kis sitima (form of energy) · sa विद्युत (form of energy) · bua сахилгаан (form of energy) · pt eletricidade (form of energy) · pl prąd (form of energy) · ca electricitat (form of energy) · si විදුලිය (form of energy) · hil elektrisidad (form of energy) · hu elektromosság (form of energy) · sh стру́ја (form of energy) · te కరెంట్ (electrical power) · pt eletrização (excitement) · mn ᠴᠠᠬᠢᠯᠭᠠᠨ (form of energy) · mi hiko (form of energy) · pl elektryczność (form of energy) · sh му̀њина (form of energy) · pot wasmowasen (electrical power) · ceb dagitab (form of energy) · tr elektrik (form of energy) · st motlakase (form of energy) · iu ĸuatsânattuk (form of energy) · khb ᦺᦝᦝᦱᧉ (form of energy) · sk elektrina (form of energy) · sh elektricìtēt (form of energy) · luo stima (form of energy) · pt eletricidade (field of physical science and technology) · el ηλεκτρισμός (form of energy) · gd dealan (form of energy) · tl dagitab (form of energy) · mkj lioal (form of energy) · pdt Ellektrisität (form of energy) · zu ugesi (form of energy) · tg электрик (form of energy) · bn বিজলী (form of energy) · pa ਬਿਜਲੀ (form of energy) · lo ໄຟຟ້າ (form of energy) · nr igezi (form of energy) · pon lioal (form of energy) · ps برق (form of energy) · fi sähkö (electrical power) · ur بَرْق (form of energy) · fo ravmagn (form of energy) · haw uila (form of energy) · az elektrik (form of energy) · eo elektro (form of energy) · hu villamosság (form of energy) · ts gezi (form of energy) · yue 電 /电 (form of energy) · mns-nor на̄йпос (form of energy) · jv ꦏꦭꦶꦱ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏꦤ꧀ (form of energy) · mg aratra (form of energy) · xh umbane (form of energy) · gu વીજળી (form of energy) · sv el (electrical power) · hi विद्युत (form of energy) · de Strom (electrical power) · mas o-sitímà (form of energy) · cmn 電力 /电力 (electrical power) · tly برق (form of energy) · nan-hbl 電氣 /电气 (form of energy) · ext eletricidá (form of energy) · vi điện năng (form of energy) · tl dagitban (field of physical science and technology) · te విద్యుత్తు (form of energy) · tr cereyan (form of energy) · pt eletricidade (electrical power) · be эле́ктрыка (form of energy) · sl elektrika (form of energy) · nod ᨲᩯ᩠᩵ᨶ (form of energy) · shn ၽႆးၽႃႉ (form of energy) · luy estima (form of energy) · dz གློག (form of energy) · eu elektrizitate (form of energy) · dng дянгуон (form of energy) · uz elektr (form of energy) · ka დენი (form of energy) · cs elektřina (form of energy) · sh mùnjina (form of energy) · my မီး (form of energy) · frr struum (form of energy) · tli kashóokʼ (form of energy) · lzz ელეთრიღი (form of energy) · doi बिजली (form of energy) · sv elektricitet (form of energy) · yue 電力 /电力 (electrical power) · ne बिजुली (form of energy) · ote tsibi (form of energy) · et elekter (form of energy) · my လျှပ်စစ်ဓာတ် (form of energy) · hil kuryente (form of energy) · ar كَهْرَبَاء (form of energy) · nrf êlectricité (form of energy) · fa-ira بَرْق (form of energy) · cy trydan (form of energy) · sm uila (form of energy) · ru электрото́к (electrical power) · kmr ceyran (form of energy) · mn цахилгаан (form of energy) · ga aibhléis (form of energy) · la ēlectricitās (form of energy) · ff 𞤤𞤢𞤳𞤼𞤭𞤪𞤭𞥅𞤧𞤭 (form of energy) · ki thitima (form of energy) · it elettricità (form of energy) · tg барқ (form of energy) · hi बर्क़ (form of energy) · kxd letrik (form of energy) · kn ವಿದ್ಯುಚ್ಛಕ್ತಿ (form of energy) · my လျှပ်စစ် (form of energy) · kok मिंचु (form of energy) · id setrum (electrical power) · an electrecidat (form of energy) · pot jigwé-shkodé (form of energy) · esu kaluk (form of energy) · ar كَهْرُبَاء (form of energy) · gl electricidade (form of energy) · ka ელექტრობა (form of energy) · srn strowm (form of energy) · am ኤሌክትሪክ (form of energy) · lzz ელექთრიღი (form of energy) · thm ฟัยฟา (form of energy) · ko 전기 (form of energy) · tl koryente (form of energy) · uk електроене́ргія (electrical power) · vi điện lực (electrical power) · bg електри́чество (form of energy) · tt электр (form of energy) · az işıq (form of energy) · lb Elektriztéit (form of energy) · kxd karan (form of energy) · km អគ្គិសនី (form of energy) · ja 電力 (electrical power) · ur بِجْلی (form of energy) · chr ᎠᎾᎦᎵᏍᎩ (form of energy) · et vool (electrical power) · ms kuasa elektrik (form of energy) · fi sähkö (form of energy) · kmr kareba (form of energy) · io elektro (form of energy) · fa-ira اِلِکْتْریسیتِه (form of energy) · hy էլեկտրականություն (form of energy) · as বিজুলী (form of energy) · mer thitima (form of energy) · ja 電気 (form of energy) · nv atsiniltłʼish (form of energy) · hi बिजली (form of energy) · kw tredan (form of energy) · myv цитерь (form of energy) · be электраэне́ргія (electrical power) · cmn 電能 /电能 (form of energy) · iu ᓴᕕᒐᐅᔭᖅ (form of energy) · chk fifi (form of energy) · ms elektrik (form of energy) · mt elettriċità (form of energy) · ht elektrisite (form of energy) · da el (form of energy) · nso mohlakgase (form of energy) · shn ၾႆးၾႃႉ (form of energy) · be электраэнэ́ргія (electrical power) · te కరెంటు (electrical power) · chy nonoma'ého'ota (form of energy) · he חַשְׁמַל (form of energy) · da elektricitet (form of energy) · fr électricité (form of energy) · uk еле́ктрика (form of energy) · ka შუქი (form of energy) · ko 전력 (form of energy) · dng дян (form of energy) · cr ᐘᐢᑯᒉᐸᔨᐢ (form of energy) · kok वीज़ (form of energy) · nah ikpitikayotl (form of energy) · ky электричество (form of energy) · ckb کارەبا (form of energy) · ro electricitate (form of energy) · si විද්යුතය (form of energy) · sv elektricitet (electrical power) · mai बीजु (form of energy) · lv elektrība (form of energy) · aii ܒܸܪܩܵܐ (form of energy) · yue 電氣 /电气 (form of energy)