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.

---

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

---

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

Fourth place on the grid is low-key for the Mercedes driver in the context of his season as a whole - and the gargantuan achievement of which he stands on the brink.

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

Built by a Chinese state firm and owned by a Thai-led consortium, it sells electricity exclusively to Vietnam's national grid via dedicated transmission lines.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

“The folks who log on can ask about specific races, voting trends, candidates, when polls close and a grid of the balance of power as it’s populating.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

But the state is part of PJM Interconnection, the largest U.S. grid operator, which is in the midst of re-evaluating how it will connect data centers with power producers.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

I could have my own grid stretching off to the edges of the map.

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini

Dube said Equinix facilities use dry cooling that makes minimal use of water and aim to use "biorenewable" energy in order to not strain local power grids.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

At the core of the change are pricing grids meant to assess risk that Fannie and Freddie rolled out during the 2008 housing crisis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

Rather than arranging atoms only in a line, they hope to study grids of atoms as well.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026

The pair aim to develop a US supply chain for sodium ion batteries, in order to enable large-scale energy storage for electricity grids.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

I crouched down some more to get a closer peek inside one of our girder grids.

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• framework
• network

---