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rheostatic

[ree-uh-stat]

noun Electricity.

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:
1843; rheo- + -stat

Related forms

rhe·o·stat·ic, adjective

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Rheostatic is always a great word to know.

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a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.

a fool or simpleton; ninny.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

rheostat (ˈriːəˌstæt)

—n
	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

rheo'static

—*adj*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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