electrode

noun

elec·​trode i-ˈlek-ˌtrōd 

1

: a conductor used to establish electrical contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit

2

: an element in a semiconductor device (such as a transistor) that emits or collects electrons or holes or controls their movements

Examples of electrode in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An electrode then attracts these excited electrons and creates an electric current. —Keith Cooper, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2025

Researchers implanted electrodes in her brain’s speech centers, enabling the device to translate her neural activity into real-time speech with minimal delay. —Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025

Conventionally, temporary pacemakers comprise electrodes that are implanted in the heart muscle. —Payal Dhar, Scientific American, 2 Apr. 2025

Most procedures involve surgeons sewing electrodes directly onto the heart, then attaching those electrodes to an external pacing box using wires that exit a patient’s chest. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing electrode

• inter-electrode

Rhymes for electrode

• interelectrode

Kids Definition

electrode

noun

elec·​trode i-ˈlek-ˌtrōd 

: a conductor (as a metal or carbon) used to make electrical contact with a part of an electrical circuit that is not metallic

Medical Definition

electrode

noun

elec·​trode i-ˈlek-ˌtrōd 

: a conductor used to establish electrical contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit