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definitions

corona discharge

noun Electricity.

a discharge, frequently luminous, at the surface of a conductor or between two conductors of the same transmission line, accompanied by ionization of the surrounding atmosphere and often by a power loss.

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Nearby words

  1. coromandel work,
  2. coromuel,
  3. corona,
  4. corona australis,
  5. corona borealis,
  6. corona glandis,
  7. corona radiata,
  8. coronach,
  9. coronado,
  10. coronado, francisco
Compare brush discharge.

Origin of corona discharge

First recorded in 1915–20
Also called corona, electric glow, St. Elmo's fire.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for corona discharge

corona discharge

noun

an electrical discharge appearing on and around the surface of a charged conductor, caused by ionization of the surrounding gasAlso called: corona See also Saint Elmo's fire
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Science definitions for corona discharge

corona discharge

An electrical discharge characterized by a corona, occurring when one of two conducting surfaces (such as electrodes) of differing voltages has a pointed shape, resulting in a highly concentrated electric field at its tip that ionizes the air (or other gas) around it. Corona discharge can result in power loss in the transmission of electric power, and is used in photocopying machines and air-purification devices. See also electric arc.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.