grid

noun

ˈgrid 

1

: grating

2

a(1)

: a perforated or ridged metal plate used as a conductor in a storage battery

(2)

: an electrode consisting of a mesh or a spiral of fine wire in an electron tube

(3)

: a network of conductors for distribution of electric power

also : a network of radio or television stations

b

: a network of uniformly spaced horizontal and perpendicular lines (as for locating points on a map)

also : something resembling such a network

a road grid

c

: gridiron sense 3

broadly : football

3

: the starting positions of cars on a racecourse

4

: a device in a photocomposer on which are located the characters to be exposed as the text is composed

Examples of grid in a Sentence

The students plotted points on a grid.

The city streets form a grid.

Recent Examples on the Web

Kyiv's power issues Emergency power cuts were enforced in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, on Thursday due to ongoing Russian air strikes on the country's power grid. — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

When a big customer pays its full share, the cost of running the grid is spread across more users, and that can help hold down everyone’s rates. — Mark McNees, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026

The extremely clever clue for 14-Across is from him, as is the grid design. — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Acts who might typically tour with multiple semi-trucks have to pare it down to come play the off-the-grid, experimental fest. — Katie Bain, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from gridiron

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grid

• cattle grid
• micro-grid
• off-grid
• off-the-grid

Rhymes for grid

• bid
• did
• hid
• id
• lid
• mid
• quid
• rid
• skid
• slid
• squid
• amid

Kids Definition

grid

noun

ˈgrid 

1

: grating sense 1

2

: a metal plate used as a conductor in a storage battery

3

: an element of an electron tube consisting of a network of fine wire

4

: a network of horizontal and perpendicular lines (as for locating points on a map using coordinates or for counting a sample of particles or organisms on a microscope slide)

5

: a network of conductors for distribution of electrical power

also : a network of radio or television stations