anode

American  

[an-ohd] / ˈæn oʊd /

noun

1. the electrode or terminal by which current enters an electrolytic cell, voltaic cell, battery, etc.

2. the negative terminal of a voltaic cell or battery.

3. the positive terminal, electrode, or element of an electron tube or electrolytic cell.

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anode British  

/ əˈnɒdɪk, ˈænəʊd, eɪˈnəʊdəl /

noun

1. the positive electrode in an electrolytic cell

2. Also called (esp US): plate.  the positively charged electrode in an electronic valve

3. the negative terminal of a primary cell Compare cathode

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anode Scientific  

/ ăn′ōd′ /

1. The positive electrode in an electrolytic cell, toward which negatively charged particles are attracted. The anode has a positive charge because it is connected to the positively charged end of an external power supply.

2. The positively charged element of an electrical device, such as a vacuum tube or a diode, to which electrons are attracted.

3. The negative electrode of a voltaic cell, such as a battery. The anode gets its negative charge from the chemical reaction that happens inside the battery, not from an external source.

4. Compare cathode

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Other Word Forms

• anodal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of anode

1825–35; < Greek ánodos way up, equivalent to an- an- ³ + hodós way, road

Compare meaning

How does anode compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• anode vs. cathode

Example Sentences

Anode replacement may sound complicated, but it's not.

From Time Magazine Archive

Last week a company was formed, the American Anode Inc., to exploit a new process of manufacture, which may have momentous effects on the entire industry.

From Time Magazine Archive

He called the positive electrode the Anode, and the negative one the Cathode, but these terms, though frequently used, have not enjoyed the same currency as the others.

From Faraday as a Discoverer by Tyndall, John