diode

[ dahy-ohd ]

noun

, Electronics.

1. a device, as a two-element electron tube or a semiconductor, through which current can pass freely in only one direction.

diode

/ ˈdaɪəʊd /

noun

1. a semiconductor device containing one p-n junction, used in circuits for converting alternating current to direct current More formal namesemiconductor diode
2. the earliest and simplest type of electronic valve having two electrodes, an anode and a cathode, between which a current can flow only in one direction. It was formerly widely used as a rectifier and detector but has now been replaced in most electrical circuits by the more efficient and reliable semiconductor diode

diode

/ dī′ōd′ /

1. An electrical device with two active terminals, an anode and a cathode, through which current passes more easily in one direction (from anode to cathode) than in the reverse direction. Diodes have many uses, including conversion of AC power to DC power, and the decoding of audio-frequency signals from radio signals.

Word History and Origins

Origin of diode¹

First recorded in 1919; di- ¹ + -ode ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of diode¹

C20: from di- ¹+ -ode ²

Example Sentences

The Daily Pic: Ingo Maurer shows it's better to charge a single diode than curse the darkness.

From The Daily Beast