A cathode is the negative electrode in a cell such as a battery. Compare anode.
cathode in British English
(ˈkæθəʊd)
noun
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 anode
Derived forms
cathodal (kæˈθəʊdəl), cathodic (kæˈθɒdɪk, -ˈθəʊ-) or cathodical (caˈthodical)
adjective
Word origin
C19: from Greek kathodos a descent, from kata- down + hodos way
cathode in American English
(ˈkæθˌoʊd)
noun
1.
in an electroplating cell, the negatively charged electrode, from which current flows
2.
in an electron tube, the negatively charged electron emitter
3.
in a battery that is a source of electric current, as a dry cell or storage battery, the positive electrode which receives the electrons from the external circuit
anode
Derived forms
cathodic (caˈthodic) (kæˈθɑdɪk)
adjective
Word origin
coined by Faraday < Gr kathodos, descent < kata-, down + -ode1
cathode in Electrical Engineering
(kæθoʊd)
Word forms: (regular plural) cathodes
noun
(Electrical engineering: Circuits)
The cathode of an electrical device is the negative electrode, which is the element that provides the flow of electrons.
The voltage would tend to build to dangerous levels across the coil unless we puta diode across the coil with the cathode on the negative end of the coil.
Fuel cells produce power electrochemically by passing a hydrogen-rich gas over ananode and air over a cathode, and introducing an electrolyte in between to enable exchange of ions.
The cathode of an electrical device is the negative electrode, which is the element that providesthe flow of electrons.
cathode ray oscilloscope, cathode ray tube
Examples of 'cathode' in a sentence
cathode
Mark was still chattering about the movie scene when all the cathode ray screens went blank.
James W. Hall BLACKWATER SOUND (2003)
All related terms of 'cathode'
cathode rays
a stream of electrons emitted from the surface of a cathode in a valve
cold cathode
a cathode from which electrons are emitted at ambient temperature, due to a high potential gradient at the surface
cathode-ray tube
A cathode-ray tube is a device in televisions and computer terminals which sends an image onto the screen.
cathode ray oscilloscope
A cathode ray oscilloscope is an instrument based upon the cathode ray tube , that provides a visible image of one or more rapidly varying electrical quantities.
thermionic tube
an electron tube having a cathode electrically heated in order to cause electron or ion emission