cathode

American  

[kath-ohd] / ˈkæθ oʊd /

noun

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

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

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

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cathode British  

/ kæˈθɒdɪk, -ˈθəʊ-, ˈkæθəʊd, kæˈθəʊdəl /

noun

1. the negative electrode in an electrolytic cell; the electrode by which electrons enter a device from an external circuit

2. the negatively charged electron source in an electronic valve

3. the positive terminal of a primary cell

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cathode Scientific  

/ kăth′ōd′ /

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

2. The source of electrons in an electrical device, such as a vacuum tube or diode.

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

4. Compare anode

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Other Word Forms

• cathodal adjective

Etymology

Origin of cathode

1825–35; < Greek káthodos a way down, equivalent to kat- cat- ( def. ) + hodós way

Compare meaning

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

• anode vs. cathode

Example Sentences

The 14,000 metric tons of copper cathode that Rio expects the Arizona Nuton project to yield over four years wouldn’t be enough for one of those facilities.

From The Wall Street Journal

They had bid up U.S. futures and loaded warehouses with copper in anticipation of a steep import tax on cathodes and other less processed forms of the metal, which is essential to everything electric.

From The Wall Street Journal

Copper cathodes manufacturer Yunnan Jinxun Resources aims to start trading on Jan. 9, and plans to use most of its IPO net proceeds to expand its core operations and about 10% to pay down debt.

From The Wall Street Journal

Despite the promise, single-crystal cathodes did not always perform as well as expected.

From Science Daily

An import tax on less-processed copper would put a premium on U.S.-made cathodes.

From The Wall Street Journal