voltage
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of voltage
Explanation
Voltage is a measure of electrical energy. If you've got a high-voltage personality, people may use another electrical metaphor and describe you as "a live wire." Someone calculates voltage by determining the difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit. When you travel, you'll want to make sure you bring along adapters to plug into the various sorts of electrical outlets you'll encounter around the world. Your chargers and all your electrical gear should have dual voltage capability, so they can work on electrical currents of 100 volts to 240 volts.
Vocabulary lists containing voltage
Engineering - Introductory
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Electricity and Magnetism - Introductory
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Physical Science - Energy - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
China’s grid, the world’s largest, produces 40% more power than the U.S. and the European Union combined, utilizing 1,000 kV ultra-high voltage lines.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
Each time they introduced electrons and holes, they observed a consistent electrical current flowing in the same direction, even without applying any external voltage.
From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026
Conventional step-down converters often struggle when dealing with large differences between input and output voltage.
From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026
In some cases, manual control of voltage meant that the system responded relatively slowly to changes in the network.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
I believed, and still do, that our bodies are our selves, that my soul is the voltage conducted through neurons and nerves, and that my spirit is my flesh.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
