e·lec·tric·i·ty

[ih-lek-tris-i-tee, ee-lek-]
noun
1.
electric charge.
2.
electric current.
3.
the science dealing with electric charges and currents.
4.
a state or feeling of excitement, anticipation, tension, etc.
Origin:
1640–50; electric + -ity

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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00:10
Electricity is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
electricity (ɪlɛkˈtrɪsɪtɪ, ˌiːlɛk-) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
1.  any phenomenon associated with stationary or moving electrons, ions, or other charged particles
2.  the science concerned with electricity
3.  an electric current or charge: a motor powered by electricity
4.  emotional tension or excitement, esp between or among people

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

electricity
1640s (Browne), from electric + -ity.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
electricity   (ĭ-lěk-trĭs'ĭ-tē)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. The collection of physical effects related to the force and motion of electrically charged particles, typically electrons, through or across matter and space. See also circuit, conductor, electric potential.

  2. Electric current, or a source of electric current.

  3. A buildup of electric charge. See also static electricity.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

electricity definition


A flow of electrical charges, such as electrons, through a conductor.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Example sentences
Garbage piles up by the roadside, and the squatters string wires from power
  lines to steal electricity.
In a conventional solar power plant, the steam drives a turbine to generate
  electricity.
It also supplies power to thousands of villages that previously lacked
  electricity.
Solar panels harness the power of the sun to produce electricity without
  releasing harmful emissions into the environment.
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