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⇱ cathode - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

cathode

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈkæθəʊd/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈkæθoʊd/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(kath′ōd)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
cath•ode /ˈkæθoʊd/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. Electricitythe electrode by which current leaves a battery, etc., or the negative terminal of such a cell.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
cath•ode  (kath′ōd),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Electricitythe electrode or terminal by which current leaves an electrolytic cell, voltaic cell, battery, etc.
  2. Electricitythe positive terminal of a voltaic cell or battery.
  3. Electricity, Electronicsthe negative terminal, electrode, or element of an electron tube or electrolytic cell.
  • Greek káthodos a way down, equivalent. to kat- cat- + hodós way
  • 1825–35

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
cathode /ˈkæθəʊd/ n
  1. the negative electrode in an electrolytic cell; the electrode by which electrons enter a device from an external circuit
  2. the negatively charged electron source in an electronic valve
  3. the positive terminal of a primary cell

Compare anodeEtymology: 19th Century: from Greek kathodos a descent, from kata- down + hodos waycathodal /kæˈθəʊdəl/, cathodic /kæˈθɒdɪk; -ˈθəʊ-/, caˈthodical adj
'cathode' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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