cathode

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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Ancient Greek κατα- (kata-, down) and ὁδός (hodós, journey, way), forming the New Greek compound κάθοδος (káthodos, to go down). Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1834 for Michael Faraday, who introduced it later that year.

Pronunciation

Noun

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

cathode (plural cathodes)

  1. (electricity) An electrode, of a cell or other electrically polarized device, through which a positive current of electricity flows outwards (and thus, electrons flow inwards). It usually, but not always, has a positive voltage.
  2. (chemistry, by extension) The electrode at which chemical reduction of cations takes place, usually resulting in the deposition of metal onto the electrode.
  3. (electronics) The electrode from which electrons are emitted into a vacuum tube or gas-filled tube.
  4. (electronics) That electrode of a semiconductor device which is connected to the n-type material of a p-n junction.

Coordinate terms

Derived terms

Translations

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French

Noun

cathode f (plural cathodes)

  1. cathode

Further reading