electronic
Americanadjective
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of or relating to electronics or to devices, circuits, or systems developed through electronics.
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of or relating to electrons or to an electron.
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(of a musical instrument) using electric or electronic means to produce or modify the sound.
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of, relating to, or controlled by computers or computerized systems: an electronic document.
electronic voting;
an electronic document.
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of or noting computerized products, services, or technologies: electronic banking.
online electronic dictionaries;
electronic banking.
adjective
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of, concerned with, using, or operated by devices in which electrons are conducted through a semiconductor, free space, or gas
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of or concerned with electronics
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of or concerned with electrons or an electron
an electronic energy level in a molecule
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involving or concerned with the representation, storage, or transmission of information by electronic systems
electronic mail
electronic shopping
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Relating to electrical devices that amplify and process electrical signals. Audio amplifiers, radios, and digital circuitry are electronic devices.
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◆ The scientific study of the behavior and design of electronic devices and circuits is called electronics.
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Compare electric
Usage
Electronic is used to refer to equipment, such as television sets, computers, etc, in which the current is controlled by transistors, valves, and similar components and also to the components themselves. Electrical is used in a more general sense, often to refer to the use of electricity as a whole as opposed to other forms of energy: electrical engineering; an electrical appliance. Electric, in many cases used interchangeably with electrical, is often restricted to the description of particular devices or to concepts relating to the flow of current: electric fire; electric charge
Other Word Forms
- electronically adverb
- interelectronic adjective
- nonelectronic adjective
- preelectronic adjective
- unelectronic adjective
Etymology
Origin of electronic
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.
Beginning with signals intelligence, and satellite and electronic surveillance of activity in the strait, such a mission would likely include maritime patrol aircraft and drones.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
While their music is at times reminiscent of the free jazz of Sun Ra and Ornette Coleman, it also brings in elements of electronic music, punk rock and hip-hop.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
Measures under consideration include ordering government workers to work from home one day per week, cutting back on official travel and encouraging bicycle, electronic car and public transport use to preserve valuable fuel.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
Magnetic and electronic storage devices often lose data after only a few years, especially without continuous power, cooling, and maintenance.
From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026
Everything hinged on whether Kat was right about the electronic keys.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
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.
