thermoelectric

American  

[thur-moh-i-lek-trik] / ˌθɜr moʊ ɪˈlɛk trɪk /

Sometimes thermoelectrical

adjective

1. of, relating to, or involving the direct relationship between heat and electricity.

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thermoelectric British  

/ ˌθɜːməʊɪˈlɛktrɪk, ˌθɜːməʊɪˈlɛktrɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, used in, or operated by the generation of an electromotive force by the Seebeck effect or the Thomson effect

   a thermoelectric thermometer

2. of, relating to, used in, or operated by the production or absorption of heat by the Peltier effect

   a thermoelectric cooler

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thermoelectric Scientific  

/ thûr′mō-ĭ-lĕk′trĭk /

1. Relating to electric potential or power produced by heat, or to heat produced by electric energy. The thermoelectric energy of a nuclear power plant is produced by the heat generated from nuclear fission. The thermoelectric properties of materials such as selenium and semiconductors are exploited in devices such as thermistors and thermocouples used in temperature gauges.

2. See also Seebeck effect

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Other Word Forms

• thermoelectrically adverb

Etymology

Origin of thermoelectric

First recorded in 1815–25; thermo- + electric

Example Sentences

The country has suffered seven nationwide blackouts since 2024 -- two of them only this past week -- due to an aging thermoelectric plants and a shortage of oil.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

The latest blackout was due to an outage in a generating unit at one of the country's eight thermoelectric plants, triggering a domino effect in the system, according to authorities.

From Barron's • Mar. 22, 2026

A notable thermoelectric start-up is Phononic, which is based in the US and has an additional manufacturing facility in Thailand.

From BBC • May 19, 2025

But thermoelectric devices can be easily switched on off.

From BBC • May 19, 2025

Semiconductors, which combine heat insulation with good electrical conduction, are used for thermoelectric generators to power isolated weather stations, artificial satellites, undersea cables and marker buoys.

From The Dawn of Amateur Radio in the U.K. and Greece: a personal view by Joly, Norman F.