electric

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   (of a situation) exceptionally tense

   an atmosphere electric with suspicion

2. 2
   adj

   using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity

   electric current

3. 3
   adj

   Of, relating to, produced by, operated with, or utilising electricity; electrical.

   But electric vehicles and the batteries that made them run became ensnared in corporate scandals, fraud, and monopolistic corruption that shook the confidence of the nation and inspired automotive upstarts.

4. 4
   adj

   Emotionally thrilling; electrifying.

   A glance from Beatrice—for nothing is so electric as the kindness of sympathy—stopped the tide of bewailings that were gushing forth. "Poor child!" muttered the housekeeper; "but it's no good telling her."

5. 5
   noun

   Electricity; the electricity supply.

   We had to sit in the dark because the electric was cut off.

6. 6
   noun

   An electric powered version of something that was originally or is more commonly not electric.

   Equally I can stand in a station like Lucerne in Switzerland, and watch with ill-concealed admiration the majestic entry of one of the latest Gotthard "Ae 6/6" electrics, packing 6,000 horsepower within its 60 ft. of length and 121 tons of weight, with its sleek dark green sides and handsome stainless steel bands and front wings.

7. 7
   adj

   affected by emotion as if by electricity

8. 8
   noun

   a car that is powered by electricity

Etymology

First attested in c. 1646 in a publication by Thomas Browne. From New Latin ēlectricus (“electrical; of amber”), from ēlectr(um) (“amber”) + -icus (“adjectival suffix”); from Ancient Greek ἤλεκτρον (ḗlektron, “amber”); related to ἠλέκτωρ (ēléktōr, “shining sun”), of unknown origin (see which for more). The Latin term was apparently used first with the sense electrical in 1600 by the English physician and scientist William Gilbert in his work De Magnete.