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 Italian passed Russell for second behind pole-sitter Norris at the first start as the Briton was slowed by the inside of the grid being damper than the outside after a shower of rain.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

Antonelli looked to have taken control of the race as he cycled from third on the initial grid to the lead after two standing starts punctuated by a long delay because of Verstappen's crash.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

Still, the country is still struggling to meet demand thanks to its aging power grid.

From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026

The deadly weather front in February of 2021 meant multiple deaths, massive power grid failures, freezing temperatures and water shortages for millions of Texans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

I could see almost everything from here—the East River and the Hudson River carving the shape of Manhattan, the grid of streets, the lights of skyscrapers, the dark stretch of Central Park in the north.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

Companies that make equipment to upgrade electricity grids are growing, too, because Europe needs to electrify its economy to reduce its reliance on imported energy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 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

More elaborate designs, including hatched bands, grids, and diamond-shaped motifs, also showed evidence of rotation, translation, repetition, and "embedding," i.e., the ability to build hierarchical levels of signs within the same surface.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

That constant swirling is a driving force behind bursts of energy from the Sun, creating so-called space weather, that can disrupt Earth's power grids and satellites, and could even injure astronauts.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

This failure was expected to cause disruptions in air travel, banking, industry, electric grids, phone systems, and other critical services necessary for daily living at the turn of the century.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• framework
• network