cathode
|cath-ode|
🇺🇸
/ˈkæθoʊd/
🇬🇧
/ˈkæθəʊd/
downward way → electrode defined by electron flow/reduction
Etymology
'cathode' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'kathodos', where 'kata-' meant 'down' and 'hodos' meant 'way' or 'journey'.
'cathode' changed from the Greek word 'kathodos' (καθοδος) and was adopted into scientific coinage (via New Latin/French 'cathode') in the 19th century, eventually becoming the modern English word 'cathode'.
Initially, it meant 'a descent' or 'downward way', but over time it evolved into its current technical meaning of 'an electrode associated with electron entry/reduction' or 'the electron-emitting electrode' depending on context.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an electrode in a vacuum tube or electron-emitting device from which electrons are emitted (often the negatively charged electrode that emits electrons when heated).
The cathode in the vacuum tube emitted electrons when heated.
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Noun 2
in electrochemistry, the electrode at which reduction (gain of electrons) takes place; ions in the solution gain electrons at the cathode.
In the galvanic cell, the cathode is where reduction takes place.
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Noun 3
the terminal of a polarized device (such as a diode or battery) defined by its role in current flow — the electrode toward which conventional current flows (opposite of anode); its electrical polarity (positive or negative) can vary depending on the device or operating condition.
During discharge the battery's cathode becomes the site of reduction and is at a higher potential than during charging.
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Last updated: 2025/08/27 02:21