Multivibrators

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Electronic circuits that produce rapid square or rectangular pulses by switching between two unstable states, used in timing and signal generation
2. Oscillating electronic devices which create repeated pulse signals through alternating switching between two states, often used as clocks
3. Circuits built from two amplifying elements that flip back and forth, producing square-wave or pulse outputs for timing and control purposes

Etymology: The plural here is the form of "multivibrator", a noun for an electronic circuit that produces a repeating pulse. The word is a plain compound: "multi-", from Latin "multus", meaning "many" or "much", joined to "vibrator", the agent noun from the Latin verb "vibrare", "to shake, vibrate". The name describes the circuit's design, which uses two or more amplifying elements (historically vacuum tubes, later transistors) that switch each other on and off in turn. Because the word was built from familiar parts, its history is transparent: "multi-" marks the plurality of the active elements, and "vibrator" marks the oscillation. Its meaning is essentially the one the parts suggest, with no later shift in sense.