electrolyte

American  

[ih-lek-truh-lahyt] / ɪˈlɛk trəˌlaɪt /

noun

1. Physical Chemistry.

   1. Also called electrolytic conductor.  a conducting medium in which the flow of current is accompanied by the movement of matter in the form of ions.

   2. any substance that dissociates into ions when dissolved in a suitable medium or melted and thus forms a conductor of electricity.

2. Physiology. any of certain inorganic compounds, mainly sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, and bicarbonate, that dissociate in biological fluids into ions capable of conducting electrical currents and constituting a major force in controlling fluid balance within the body.

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electrolyte British  

/ ɪˈlɛktrəʊˌlaɪt /

noun

1. a solution or molten substance that conducts electricity

2. 1. a chemical compound that dissociates in solution into ions

   2. any of the ions themselves

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electrolyte Scientific  

/ ĭ-lĕk′trə-līt′ /

1. A melted or dissolved compound that has broken apart into ions (anions and cations). Applying an electric field across an electrolyte causes the anions and cations to move in opposite directions, thereby conducting electrical current while gradually separating the ions.

2. See also electrodialysis electrolysis

3. Any of these ions found in body fluids. Electrolytes are needed by cells to regulate the flow of water molecules across cell membranes.

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electrolyte Cultural  

1. A substance that can serve as a conductor for an electric current (see also current) when it is dissolved in a solution. Electrolytes are found in the blood and tissue fluids of the body.

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Usage

What is an electrolyte? An electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity when melted or dissolved in water. The individual ions that such a substance breaks into are also called electrolytes. Sodium chloride, that is, table salt, is one example of an electrolyte. Sodium chloride is made of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). If you dump a bunch of salt on a table, it won’t conduct electricity. The salt molecules are tightly held together and don’t have electrical charges to help move (conduct) the electric current. However, if you put salt into water, it will dissolve and the sodium and chlorine molecules will be free to drift apart from each other. The sodium and chlorine in salt are ions, which means they have electrical charges (sodium has a positive charge and chlorine has a negative charge). Because they are now freely moving ions, they can conduct electricity through the water. Electrolytes are important to your body because your brain sends electrical signals through your nerve cells to tell the cells in your body what to do. These signals need a conductor to transport them through and across cells. The electrolyte sodium acts as this conductor, carrying these signals through nerve cells. Maintaining a good supply of electrolytes is important to keep your brain communicating with your other organs and muscles.

Other Word Forms

• nonelectrolyte
  noun

Etymology

Origin of electrolyte

First recorded in 1825–35; electro- + -lyte ¹

Explanation

An electrolyte is a liquid that contains ions and conducts electricity. The substance inside a battery is an electrolyte. In chemistry, an electrolyte is typically dissolved in a solvent, becoming ionized — gaining a positive or negative charge. The resulting solution can conduct electricity when voltage is applied to it, making electrolytes especially useful in batteries. The word electrolyte was coined in the 1800s from electro-, "electrical," from the Greek root elektro, and lytos, or "loosed" in Greek.

Example Sentences

They are not electrolyte tablets or a little preworkout creatine.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

In this instance, solid-state refers to batteries that have no liquid electrolyte External link, facilitating the flow of electrical charge.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

Unilever’s Liquid I.V. electrolyte drink mix wants viewers to appreciate hydration.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

To measure how much stronger the treated material had become, the researchers used a specialized probe inside a scanning electron microscope to test how much force was needed to fracture the electrolyte surface.

From Science Daily • Jan. 18, 2026

Which is what they say on the commercials, even though Garrett doesn’t know what an electrolyte is.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman