solar cell

noun

: a photovoltaic cell used as a power source

Examples of solar cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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LONGi has invested heavily in R&D to make solar cells more efficient, contributing to a 90% decrease in panel costs since the early 2010s. Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 According to the team, this innovation now enables a single device to act as both a solar cell and a photodetector, without the usual trade-offs. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025 Photovoltaic energy—which converts sunlight into electricity using solar cells—is part of the firm’s commitment to transition to 100 percent renewable energy sources. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 26 Aug. 2025 In many nuclear battery designs, adjacent semiconductors absorb the radiation released by the radioisotopes’ nuclei and convert it to an electric current, much like a solar cell does. IEEE Spectrum, 25 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for solar cell

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of solar cell was in 1955

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Cite this Entry

“Solar cell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solar%20cell. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

solar cell

noun
: a photoelectric cell that converts sunlight into electrical energy and is used as a power source

More from Merriam-Webster on solar cell

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