resistor

American  

[ri-zis-ter] / rɪˈzɪs tər /

noun

Electricity.

1. a device designed to introduce resistance into an electric circuit.

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resistor British  

/ rɪˈzɪstə /

noun

1. an electrical component designed to introduce a known value of resistance into a circuit

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resistor Scientific  

/ rĭ-zĭs′tər /

1. A device used in electrical circuits to maintain a constant relation between current flow and voltage. Resistors are used to step up or lower the voltage at different points in a circuit and to transform a current signal into a voltage signal or vice versa, among other uses. The electrical behavior of a resistor obeys Ohm's law for a constant resistance; however, some resistors are sensitive to heat, light, or other variables.

2. ◆ Variable resistors, or rheostats, have a resistance that may be varied across a certain range, usually by means of a mechanical device that alters the position of one terminal of the resistor along a strip of resistant material. The length of the intervening material determines the resistance. Mechanical variable resistors are also called potentiometers, and are used in the volume knobs of audio equipment and in many other devices.

3. Compare capacitor See more at Ohm's law

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Etymology

Origin of resistor

First recorded in 1900–05; resist + -or ²

Example Sentences

And in general, this chapter has some fascinating looks at droid culture, including a trip to a bar called the Resistor, where the robots sip on a refreshing lubricant named Nepenthé.

From New York Times • Apr. 5, 2023

Mota's hackerspace, NYC Resistor, is one of the oldest, but there are now 1,500 in the world.

From The Guardian • Jun. 30, 2012