cathode
noun/ˈkæθ.oʊd/ · South-Asia /kæt̪ʰoɖ/
Etymology From Ancient Greek κατα- (kata-, “down”) and ὁδός (hodós, “journey, way”), equivalent to Ancient Greek κάθοδος (káthodos, “way down, descent”). Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1834 for Michael Faraday, who introduced it later that year. By surface analysis, cath- (alternative form of cata-) + -ode.
Business, Electrical engineering, Electricity, Electromagnetism, Energy, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics An electrode, of a cell or other electrically polarized device, through which a positive current of electricity flows outwards (and thus, electrons flow inwards). It can have either a negative or a positive voltage with respect to anode of the same polarized device (depending on whether the device is a load or a source, respectively).
Broadly The electrode at which chemical reduction of cations takes place, usually resulting in the deposition of metal onto the electrode.
Business, Electrical engineering, Electricity, Electromagnetism, Electronics, Energy, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics The electrode from which electrons are emitted into a vacuum tube or gas-filled tube.
Business, Electrical engineering, Electricity, Electromagnetism, Electronics, Energy, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics That electrode of a semiconductor device which is connected to the n-type material of a p-n junction.
- Antonyms
- anode
- Derived terms
- anticathode, biocathode, cascode, cathodal, cathode dark space, cathode ray, cathode-ray tube, cathodic, cathodograph, cathodoluminescence, cathodoluminescent, catholyte, cold cathode, cold-cathode fluorescent lamp, cold-cathode lamp, cold-cathode light, cold-cathode tube, hot cathode, microcathode, multicathode, photocathode
- Related terms
- cation