electricity

noun

elec·​tric·​i·​ty i-ˌlek-ˈtri-sə-tē How to pronounce electricity (audio)
ē-, 
-ˈtri-stē
plural electricities
1
a
: a fundamental form of energy observable in positive and negative forms that occurs naturally (as in lightning) or is produced (as in a generator) and that is expressed in terms of the movement and interaction of electrons
b
: electric current or power
2
: a science that deals with the phenomena and laws of electricity
3
: keen contagious excitement
could feel the electricity in the room

Examples of electricity in a Sentence

The electricity went off during the storm. an old building with no plumbing or electricity You could feel the electricity in the room.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Researchers have developed a paper-thin foot membrane that lets crawling microrobots harvest electricity directly from the ground beneath them, ditching heavy onboard batteries by turning metal and silicon surfaces into an active power source. — New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026 Given that each Nvidia GB300 NVL72 enterprise rack contains 72 Blackwell chips and retails at roughly $3 million a pop, depending on configuration, that means Le Chonk cost roundabout $160 million in hardware—nevermind the electricity bill. — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026 An anxiety lifted, but so did that sublime electricity caused by existing in between languages. — Ellen O’Connell Whittet, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026 To meet the real-world demand The Belledune facility is designed for a capacity of up to 50 megawatts of electricity. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for electricity

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of electricity was in 1646

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Electricity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/electricity. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

electricity

noun
elec·​tric·​i·​ty i-ˌlek-ˈtris-ət-ē How to pronounce electricity (audio)
-ˈtris-tē
1
: a form of energy that is found in nature but that can be artificially produced by rubbing together two unlike things (as glass and silk), by the action of chemicals, or by means of a generator
2
: electric current
3
: great excitement
felt the electricity in the theater

Medical Definition

plural electricities
1
a
: a fundamental entity of nature consisting of negative and positive kinds, observable in the attractions and repulsions of bodies electrified by friction and in natural phenomena (as lightning or the aurora borealis), and usually utilized in the form of electric currents
b
: electric current or power
2
: a science that deals with the phenomena and laws of electricity

More from Merriam-Webster on electricity

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