electrode

American  

[ih-lek-trohd] / ɪˈlɛk troʊd /

noun

Electricity.

1. a conductor, not necessarily metallic, through which a current enters or leaves a nonmetallic medium, as an electrolytic cell, arc generator, vacuum tube, or gaseous discharge tube.

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electrode British  

/ ɪˈlɛktrəʊd /

noun

1. a conductor through which an electric current enters or leaves an electrolyte, an electric arc, or an electronic valve or tube

2. an element in a semiconducting device that emits, collects, or controls the movement of electrons or holes

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electrode Scientific  

/ ĭ-lĕk′trōd′ /

1. A conductor through which an electric current enters or leaves a substance (or a vacuum) whose electrical characteristics are being measured, used, or manipulated. Electrodes can be used to detect electrical activity such as brain waves. Terminal points in electrical components such as transistors, diodes, and batteries are electrodes.

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Other Word Forms

• interelectrode
  noun

Etymology

Origin of electrode

First recorded in 1825–35; electr- + -ode ²

Example Sentences

Sheets of copper and aluminum go through machines that coat electrode slurry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

At the same time, a graphite electrode extracted chloride ions in a process known as electrochemical desalination.

From Science Daily • Feb. 19, 2026

The electrode also proved capable of capturing carbon dioxide at concentrations similar to those found in the atmosphere, showing that it can function in ambient air.

From Science Daily • Jan. 29, 2026

In testing, the system outperformed existing electrode technologies when exposed to simulated flue gas and when operating at CO2 levels similar to those found in the atmosphere.

From Science Daily • Jan. 29, 2026

An electrode is clipped to each sticker, which “reads” the electrical activity of his heart and prints out the pattern on a sheet of pink graph paper.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell