capacitor

noun

ca·​pac·​i·​tor kə-ˈpa-sə-tər 

: a device that is used to store electrical energy

Examples of capacitor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One of Fuse’s ideas is to get a bunch of big capacitors to discharge at once, thus kick-starting a reaction. —Jaron Lanier, WIRED, 10 Dec. 2024

The new double cryogenic, polypropylene, tin flash, copper capacitors used in the QR SE Series are the result of constant listening, measuring and improvement to get the signature sound of the QR SE. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

The battery stores power, and ComEd uses it as a capacitor for the grid. —Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2024

Essentially, the attack disables the decoupling capacitors, runs the glitch to bypass the security protections, and then enables the decoupling capacitors. —Matt Burgess, WIRED, 10 Aug. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

capacitor

noun

ca·​pac·​i·​tor kə-ˈpas-ət-ər 

: a device for storing electric charge

called also condenser

Medical Definition

capacitor

noun

ca·​pac·​i·​tor kə-ˈpas-ət-ər 

: a device giving capacitance and usually consisting of conducting plates or foils separated by thin layers of dielectric (as air or mica) with the plates on opposite sides of the dielectric layers oppositely charged by a source of voltage and the electrical energy of the charged system stored in the polarized dielectric