anode

[an-ohd] /ˈæn oʊd/

noun

the electrode or terminal by which current enters an electrolytic cell, voltaic cell, battery, etc.

the negative terminal of a voltaic cell or battery.

the positive terminal, electrode, or element of an electron tube or electrolytic cell.

Origin

1825-35; < Greek ánodos way up, equivalent to an- an-³ + hodós way, road

Examples from the web for anode

Space-saving zinc-air power cells, for example, use air to activate a zinc anode.
Different materials for the anode and cathode, of course, affect this back-and-forth movement.
When a battery charges, energy moves between its cathode and anode.
These ions reach the anode and begin to oxidize the zinc--a reaction that produces current through the release of electrons.
Cells expansion and short circuit caused by direct anode contact and continuous high efficiency electric current overcharging.
The capacity of a normal rechargeable battery is limited by the amount of lithium ions that can be held by the battery's anode.
Clever anode membranes could repress chlorine production, eliminating the need for fresh water.
The anode is a critical component for storing energy in lithium-ion batteries.
A widespread misconception is that anode polarity is always positive.

British Dictionary definitions for anode

anode

/ˈænəʊd/

noun

the positive electrode in an electrolytic cell

Also called (esp US) plate. the positively charged electrode in an electronic valve

the negative terminal of a primary cell Compare cathode

Derived Forms

anodal (eɪˈnəʊdəl), anodic (əˈnɒdɪk) adjective

Word Origin

C19: from Greek anodos a way up, from hodos a way; alluding to the movement of the current to or from the positive pole

Word Origin and History for anode

1834, coined from Greek anodos "way up," from ana "up" (see ana-) + hodos "way" (see cede). Proposed by the Rev. William Whewell (1794-1866), English polymath, and published by English chemist and physicist Michael Faraday (1791-1867). So called from the path the electrical current was thought to take. Related: Anodic.

anode in Science

anode

(ān'ōd')

The positive electrode in an electrolytic cell, toward which negatively charged particles are attracted. The anode has a positive charge because it is connected to the positively charged end of an external power supply.
The positively charged element of an electrical device, such as a vacuum tube or a diode, to which electrons are attracted.
The negative electrode of a voltaic cell, such as a battery. The anode gets its negative charge from the chemical reaction that happens inside the battery, not from an external source. Compare cathode.