electrifies
|e-lect-ri-fies|
🇺🇸
/ɪˈlɛktrəˌfaɪz/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈlɛktrɪfaɪz/
(electrify)
charge or excite
Etymology
'electrify' originates from French 'électrifier' and ultimately from Greek 'ēlektron', where 'ēlektron' meant 'amber' and the suffix '-fy' comes from Latin 'facere' meaning 'to make'.
'electrify' developed in English by applying the suffix '-fy' to 'electric' (from Modern Latin/French roots); the modern English verb formed from French/Latin roots and became established in the 18th–19th centuries.
Initially it meant 'to render electric' (to give an object an electric charge); over time it has also come to mean 'to thrill or excite (emotionally)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
third-person singular present of 'electrify'. (Literal) To charge with electricity or to make something electrically active.
The technician electrifies the test circuit to check for faults.
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Verb 2
third-person singular present of 'electrify'. (Figurative) To thrill or excite someone intensely.
Her performance electrifies the audience every night.
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Last updated: 2025/12/25 10:58