Electricity

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌiː.lɛkˈtɹɪs.ɪ.ti/

Definitions

1. A form of energy resulting from the movement of charged particles which can be harnessed to power appliances, provide illumination, and facilitate communication
2. Energy associated with the motion of electrons that enables the functioning of various devices, as well as heating and lighting systems
3. A physical phenomenon arising from the presence and flow of electric charge ; the supply of energy used to operate electrical devices and systems

Etymology: The story starts with amber. The ancient Greek "ēlektron" meant amber, the fossilized tree resin, and it was prized for a curious property: rubbed with cloth, it attracted small light objects such as bits of straw or feathers. Latin borrowed the word as "ēlectrum," and in the 1600s English physicians and natural philosophers, following William Gilbert's studies of magnetism and static charge, were drawn to the amber effect. The Latin adjective "electricus," meaning "like amber," was then coined in New Latin to describe substances that behaved this way. The noun is much newer than its roots suggest. "Electricity" is formed from the adjective "electric" plus the suffix "-ity," which turns an adjective into a noun of quality or state, giving something like "the state of being amber-like." The suffix reached English through Old French "-ité" and Latin "-itas." The word therefore names a general phenomenon, not a substance, and it developed from a single observation about a piece of resin.

Synonyms: power, energy, current, electrical energy, electromotive force

Antonyms: insulation, nonconductivity, obstruction, disconnection, disruption