Dictionary

galvanism en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɡælvəˌnɪzəm/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From French galvanisme, after physiologist Luigi Alyisio Galvani (1737–1798) + -isme. By surface analysis, galvano- + -ism.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) The chemical generation of electricity.
2. (uncountable, usually) The (therapeutic) use of electricity directly applied to the body.
   • Erb and Remak in Germany, Beard and Rockwell and Althans in America, have used it with advantage, in the forms of galvanisms and faradisms, in the treatment of joint troubles. 1892, Journal of Electrotherapeutics: Volume 10:
   • The sudden application of galvanism to bands of savages may fairly rank as a new sensation, and they, thinking the wire held this strange and mysterious power, wisely left it alone. 1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 101:
   • Perhaps a corpse would be re-animated; galvanism had given token of such things: perhaps the component parts of a creature might be manufactured, brought together, and endued with vital warmth. 1831 October 15, Mary W[ollstonecraft] Shelley, “Introduction”, in Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus (Standard Novels; IX), 3rd edition, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], published 31 October 1831, →OCLC, page x:

Forms

Deriveds

psychogalvanism

Relateds

galvanically · galvanical · galvanic

Translations (10)

mk галвани́зам (therapeutic use of electricity) · fi galvanismi (therapeutic use of electricity) · fr galvanisme (therapeutic use of electricity) · fr galvanisme (chemical generation of electricity) · fi galvanismi (chemical generation of electricity) · it galvanismo (therapeutic use of electricity) · it galvanismo (chemical generation of electricity) · mk галвани́зам (chemical generation of electricity) · bg галвани́зъм (chemical generation of electricity) · bg галвани́зъм (therapeutic use of electricity)