electronics
Americannoun
-
(used with a singular verb) the science dealing with the development and application of devices and systems involving the flow of electrons in a vacuum, in gaseous media, and in semiconductors.
-
(used with a plural verb) electronic devices, circuits, or systems developed through electronics.
Can you get through the day without using your phone or other electronics?
noun
-
(functioning as singular) the science and technology concerned with the development, behaviour, and applications of electronic devices and circuits
-
(functioning as plural) the circuits and devices of a piece of electronic equipment
the electronics of a television set
Etymology
Origin of electronics
First recorded in 1905–10; see origin at electronic, -ics
Explanation
Devices that use electricity and electrical components to perform a task — like stereos, TVs, computers, and calculators — are electronics. Unless you live off the grid in a remote place, winding the watch on your wrist and cooking freshly caught fish on your campfire, your life is full of electronics. Kitchen appliances, computers, and televisions are all electronics. You can also use this word for the science of designing circuits using electrical components, or the study of the way electrons behave under various circumstances.
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.
Today, most rare-earth supply chains remain dependent on China for the lucrative processing stages that separate individual elements and convert them into the metals, alloys and magnets that are used in everyday electronics.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
More than 2.5 billion people use Apple products worldwide, and the company has legions of fans who line up outside its stores to buy the latest iPhone, MacBook, AirPods and other consumer electronics.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
Wholesale electronics component prices have risen sharply as a result in recent months.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
The analyst expects positive momentum to persist on foreign direct investment in the electronics sector and related data-center investments in 2H.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
Recruited into Soviet intelligence, he spent several years living undercover in Norway, posing as an electronics salesman while secretly setting up radio networks for fellow spies.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
