rheostat

American  

[ree-uh-stat] / ˈri əˌstæt /

noun

Electricity.

1. an adjustable resistor so constructed that its resistance may be changed without opening the circuit in which it is connected, thereby controlling the current in the circuit.

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rheostat British  

/ ˈriːəˌstæt /

noun

1. a variable resistance, usually consisting of a coil of wire with a terminal at one end and a sliding contact that moves along the coil to tap off the current

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rheostat Scientific  

/ rē′ə-stăt′ /

1. See under resistor

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Other Word Forms

• rheostatic adjective

Etymology

Origin of rheostat

First recorded in 1843; rheo- + -stat

Example Sentences

In a screen to identify key regulators of this process, retinoic acid, the biologically active form of Vitamin A, surfaced as a surprising rheostat.

From Science Daily • Mar. 7, 2024

Sorry, Vlad, but the rheostat didn’t work this time.

From Washington Post • Nov. 29, 2018

No candidate spans the rheostat more than Gingrich, who can go from sweet to sour in seconds.

From Slate • Nov. 15, 2011

Race tracks have from four to six slots running parallel, each connected to a rheostat to enable the "driver" to control the car's speed.

From Time Magazine Archive

His eyes don't leave the diagram, and he taps the sheet and says, "Get a reading on this rheostat, David. If the dial's out of alignment, that could double or triple the current getting past."

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements