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

In a lithium-ion battery, as its name suggests, a charge is carried via lithium ions as they move through the electrolyte from the anode to the cathode during discharge, and back again during recharging.

From Science Daily • May 23, 2024

For the current work, however, the researchers deposited the anode layer, in this case a silver electrode, directly onto the active layers, creating better adhesion between the layers.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2024

But to increase the charging rate while maintaining the battery cycle life, the anode and cathode need to be stabilized simultaneously.

From Science Daily • Jan. 26, 2024

These batteries possess a lithium metal anode, rather than the graphite anode present in lithium-ion batteries.

From Science Daily • Jan. 26, 2024

My unexpected success came from using a powerful rotating anode X-ray tube which had just been assembled in the Cavendish.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson