grid

American  

[grid] / grɪd /

noun

• grids
  plural

1. a grating of crossed bars; gridiron.

2. Electricity.

   1. a metallic framework employed in a storage cell or battery for conducting the electric current and supporting the active material.

   2. a system of electrical distribution serving a large area, especially by means of high-tension lines.

3. Electronics. an electrode in a vacuum tube, usually consisting of parallel wires, a coil of wire, or a screen, for controlling the flow of electrons between the other electrodes.

4. Surveying. a basic system of reference lines for a region, consisting of straight lines intersecting at right angles.

5. a network of horizontal and perpendicular lines, uniformly spaced, for locating points on a map, chart, or aerial photograph by means of a system of coordinates.

6. Architecture. a rectangular system of coordinates used in locating the principal elements of a plan.

7. grillage.

8. Football. gridiron.

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idioms

1. off grid. See off-grid. Also off the grid

grid British  

/ ɡrɪd /

noun

1. See gridiron

2. a network of horizontal and vertical lines superimposed over a map, building plan, etc, for locating points

3. a grating consisting of parallel bars

4. the national network of transmission lines, pipes, etc, by which electricity, gas, or water is distributed

5. short for national grid

6. Also called: control grid.  electronics

   1. an electrode situated between the cathode and anode of a valve usually consisting of a cylindrical mesh of wires, that controls the flow of electrons between cathode and anode See also screen grid suppressor grid

   2. ( as modifier )

      the grid bias

7. See starting grid

8. a plate in an accumulator that carries the active substance

9. any interconnecting system of links

   the bus service formed a grid across the country

10. Northern English dialect word for face

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• gridded
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• grids
  plural

Etymology

Origin of grid

First recorded in 1830–40; short for gridiron

Explanation

A grid is a network of intersecting parallel lines, whether real or imaginary. Most American streets are laid out in a grid pattern, meaning the streets intersect at right angles and form a pattern of squares when viewed from above. You've probably seen a map grid, the uniform lines drawn on a map that allow you to pinpoint a particular location. Grid can also refer to a physical network of sorts, not necessarily made of straight or parallel lines. You may be familiar with the high voltage electrical cables that carry power throughout the country, known as the national grid. A grid can also be a device made up of intersecting metal bars that you use when grilling food.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grid grids

The country's entire electricity grid suffered "total disconnection" that triggered a nationwide outage, Cuba's energy ministry said.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Those areas include productivity and the retraining of employees, energy and grid infrastructure and capital-heavy to capital-light transitions.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Regulatory tightening is evident in Thailand, Malaysia and Australia, and could continue as governments seek to protect grid stability, it says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

That means they don't have to operate flat out at all times and so grid operators will be afforded flexibility when they need it.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

The third time she lost track of a row in the grid, Clara huffed and stormed out of her office and down the narrow corridor toward the stairs.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

The rally reflects a longer-term bet on robust copper demand, driven by investment in power grids, artificial intelligence, data centers, electric vehicles and other energy infrastructure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

GPS, power grids and satellites are some of the vital technologies vulnerable to changes in the earth's magnetic field.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

A better solution might be to invest more in improved cybersecurity and critical infrastructure, like the power grids that risk being hacked.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

It is also stretching the region’s infrastructure, power grids and an economy unaccustomed to mass tourism, at a time it is also grappling with the threat of wildfires.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

Countless doctors have drawn little tic-tac-toe grids for my parents over the years to try to explain the genetic lottery to them.

From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio

Related Words

• framework
• network