zener diode

American  

[zee-ner] / ˈzi nər /

Or Zener diode

noun

Electronics.

1. a semiconductor diode across which the reverse voltage remains almost constant over a wide range of currents, used especially to regulate voltage.

---

Zener diode British  

/ ˈziːnə /

noun

1. a semiconductor diode that exhibits a sharp increase in reverse current at a well-defined reverse voltage: used as a voltage regulator

---

Etymology

Origin of zener diode

First recorded in 1955–60; named after U.S. physicist Clarence Melvin Zener (1905–93)

Compare meaning

How does zener-diode compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• zener diode vs. diode