hydro

See also: hydro-

English

Etymology

From prefix hydro-, from Ancient Greek ὕδωρ (húdōr, “water”). Canadian sense "electricity" from the fact that hydroelectricity is the prevalent source of electricity in much of Canada and many electric companies have the word "Hydro" in their names.

Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /haɪdro/, /hʌɪdro/

• Audio (CA)

  (file)

Adjective

hydro (not comparable)

1. Clipping of hydroelectric.
2. Clipping of hydroponic.

   hydro watercress

3. Alternative form of hydro- (“water”)

Noun

hydro (countable and uncountable, plural hydros)

1. (uncountable) Clipping of hydropower; hydroelectric power
2. (uncountable) Clipping of hydroelectricity.
3. (Canada, uncountable) electrical power supply; specifically, electrical power provided by a utility (as a publicly-owned one); payment or bills for this.

   I won't have lights until my house gets the hydro turned on.

   She was having trouble paying the hydro.

   He crashed his car against a hydro pole.

4. (British, countable, dated) A spa.
   • 1909, Rudyard Kipling, The House Surgeon:

     She almost lived at hotels and hydros, last year, but that isn't pleasant for her.

5. (countable, aviation, obsolete) Abbreviation of hydroaeroplane.
6. Alternative form of hydro- (“water”)

   hydro massage

   • 1965, Field & Stream, page 98:

     For the sheer pleasure of speed, the aqua, or hydro, karts probably have all fun craft beat.

   • 2016, Meera Lester, “Stimulate Your Mind with New Challenges”, in The Law of Attraction Made Easy: More Than 50 Exercises to Manifest the Life You Want, Adams Media, →ISBN, page 104:

     You can also use sound healing, aromatherapy, massage, breath work, herbal and hydro therapies, and guided meditation for mind/body healing.

   • 2017 May 6, Carrie Rengers, “Planet Fitness to open fifth Wichita gym”, in The Wichita Eagle, volume 145, number 126, Wichita, Kan., page 9A, columns 3–4:

     Those members also get unlimited tanning, half-priced drinks and hydro and chair massages.

Derived terms

• dehydrobenzo
• dihydroretinol
• heliohydroelectric
• hexahydroxoantimonate
• hydro complex
• hydrofield
• hydro hotel
• hydronitroxide
• hydropalladation
• hydro pole
• palaeohydrogeological
• palaeohydrogeology
• perhydro
• pumped hydro
• tetrahydro
• thermohydrodynamic
• trihydro-

 

Translations

hydroelectric power

• Finnish: vesivoima (fi)
• Swedish: vattenkraft (sv)

payments or bills for electrical power

• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 電費／电费 (din⁶ fai³)

  Mandarin: 電費／电费 (zh) (diànfèi)

Anagrams

• Rhody