electronics

American  

[ih-lek-tron-iks, ee-lek-] / ɪ lɛkˈtrɒn ɪks, ˌi lɛk- /

noun

1. (used with a singular verb) the science dealing with the development and application of devices and systems involving the flow of electrons in a vacuum, in gaseous media, and in semiconductors.

2. (used with a plural verb) electronic devices, circuits, or systems developed through electronics.

   Can you get through the day without using your phone or other electronics?

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electronics British  

/ ˌiːlɛk-, ɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪks /

noun

1. (functioning as singular) the science and technology concerned with the development, behaviour, and applications of electronic devices and circuits

2. (functioning as plural) the circuits and devices of a piece of electronic equipment

   the electronics of a television set

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Etymology

Origin of electronics

First recorded in 1905–10; see origin at electronic, -ics

Explanation

Devices that use electricity and electrical components to perform a task — like stereos, TVs, computers, and calculators — are electronics. Unless you live off the grid in a remote place, winding the watch on your wrist and cooking freshly caught fish on your campfire, your life is full of electronics. Kitchen appliances, computers, and televisions are all electronics. You can also use this word for the science of designing circuits using electrical components, or the study of the way electrons behave under various circumstances.

Example Sentences

Earlier in May, South Korea's Samsung Electronics, known for its smartphones and televisions, joined the $1tn club and became only the second Asian firm to reach the milestone after Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

The prospect of a strike had sparked wider concerns in South Korea, where Samsung Electronics alone accounts for around 12.5 percent of gross domestic product and memory chips make up about 35 percent of exports.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Samsung Electronics posted a roughly 750 percent jump in first-quarter operating profit from a year earlier, while its market capitalisation topped $1 trillion in early May.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Samsung Electronics jumped 8.5% after the group’s management reached a tentative 11th hour agreement with union leaders.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

After the screen cycled through its chromatic Williams Electronics boot-up sequence, he snatched two more quarters out of thin air and dropped them into the game.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline