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

Its share price has more than tripled in South Korea this year, which along with Samsung Electronics has helped boost the benchmark Kospi index by more than 70% over the same period.

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026

SK Hynix started as Hyundai Electronics in 1983, at which point it was a subsidiary of Hyundai.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 9, 2026

In a new study published in Nature Electronics, a Harvard led research team unveiled a silicon chip capable of synthesizing 64 different DNA sequences at the same time.

From Science Daily • Jul. 9, 2026

A selloff in chip stocks earlier this week was triggered by another South Korean firm, Samsung Electronics.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 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