triboelectricity

noun

tri·​bo·​elec·​tric·​i·​ty ˌtrī-bō-i-ˌlek-ˈtri-sə-tē How to pronounce triboelectricity (audio)
ˌtri-,
-ˈtri-stē
: a charge of electricity generated by friction (as by rubbing glass with silk)
triboelectric adjective

Examples of triboelectricity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
That’s because this type of electricity (also known as triboelectricity) typically builds up in materials that don’t conduct a charge very well, like rubber or plastic, which causes it to get stuck. Alex Fox, Science | AAAS, 12 Sep. 2019 When two different materials repeatedly collide with, or rub against, one another, the surface of one material can steal electrons from the other, accumulating a charge, a phenomenon known as triboelectricity. Charles Q. Choi, Washington Post, 9 June 2018 When two different materials repeatedly collide with, or rub against, one another, the surface of one material can steal electrons from the surface of the other, accumulating a charge, a phenomenon known as triboelectricity. Charles Q. Choi, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2018 Triboelectricity is unpredictable, but engineers in the last few years have been creating innovative ways to capture its potential, ranging from electrodes in car tires to wood boards that create static when stepped on. Ben Panko, Smithsonian, 5 July 2017

Word History

Etymology

tribo- + electricity

First Known Use

circa 1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of triboelectricity was circa 1917

Dictionary Entries Near triboelectricity

Cite this Entry

“Triboelectricity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/triboelectricity. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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