charger
1 Americannoun
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a platter.
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a large, shallow dish for liquids.
noun
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a person or thing that charges
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a large strong horse formerly ridden into battle
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a device for charging or recharging an accumulator or rechargeable battery
noun
Etymology
Origin of charger1
First recorded in 1475–85; charge + -er 1
Origin of charger2
First recorded in 1275–1325, charger is from the Middle English word chargeour. See charge, -or 2
Explanation
A charger is the accessory you plug into your phone or laptop when the battery power is low. If you're bringing your digital camera with you on vacation, it's important to remember your charger. Devices that are powered by rechargeable or internal batteries need a charger to keep that battery working. When you plug a laptop charger into an outlet, a jolt of electricity recharges the laptop battery's cells. An entirely different kind of charger is a war horse — a large, sturdy animal that was trained to carry soldiers in battle. This is the 18th century meaning of charger, and it's based on the verb charge and its meaning "rush into battle."
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.
But having a bidirectional charger means this stored energy can be fed back into the grid to power the flats' electrical appliances, lighting and other systems.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
"When you land in the destination airport, there might be queues, so you should bring a portable charger or water," she said.
From BBC ● May 29, 2026
A meme circulated portraying the Luce with iPhone applications photo-shopped onto the top, and another showing the car upside down and plugged into an iPhone charger.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
Airlines are taking on a new flight-safety risk: the portable charger.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
My phone was plugged into its charger, and it sat on the little bedside table.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
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.
