rheostat

[ ree-uh-stat ]

nounElectricity.
  1. an adjustable resistor so constructed that its resistance may be changed without opening the circuit in which it is connected, thereby controlling the current in the circuit.

Origin of rheostat

1
First recorded in 1843; rheo- + -stat

Other words from rheostat

  • rhe·o·stat·ic, adjective

Words Nearby rheostat

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use rheostat in a sentence

  • The binding post E of the rheostat is connected to the base binding post J.

  • This can, however, be accomplished by means of a small rheostat placed in series with the motor.

  • The rheostat acts in an electrical circuit in just the same way a valve does in a hydraulic circuit.

  • A very simple and inexpensive rheostat may be constructed as follows: Procure a piece of thin fiber, about 1/16 in.

  • That gives you your direction, and the rheostat here at the belt changes the velocity.

    Islands of Space | John W Campbell

British Dictionary definitions for rheostat

rheostat

/ (ˈriːəˌstæt) /


noun
  1. a variable resistance, usually consisting of a coil of wire with a terminal at one end and a sliding contact that moves along the coil to tap off the current

Derived forms of rheostat

  • rheostatic, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for rheostat

rheostat

[ ə-stăt′ ]


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