Capacitor Meaning
/kəˈpæ.sɪ.tə/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounAn electronic component capable of storing electrical energy in an electric field; especially one consisting of two conductors separated by a dielectric.
Sentence Examples
How does one calculate the capacitance of a capacitor?
A capacitor allows current to flow through empty space.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The technician replaced the faulty ____ to restore the circuit's energy storage ability.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A ____ is a common electronic component that stores energy today.
Word Origin & History
From capacity + -or. Capacitor replaced the term condenser (coined by Alessandro Volta in 1782) to disambiguate it from steam condenser. The coiner is unknown but the change was recommended in 1926 by British Standard Glossary of Terms in Electrical Engineering.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"By placing the 0.02μF capacitor on top of the whistle chip, the circuit oscillates at a lower frequency. […] It is possible to pick resistors and capacitors that will make the pitch higher than humans can hear."
— 2021 December 26, “Snap Circuits Classic”, in Snap Circuits, Elenco, page 27:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The technician replaced the faulty ____ to restore the circuit's energy storage ability.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A ____ is a common electronic component that stores energy today.