resistor

noun

re·​sis·​tor ri-ˈzi-stər How to pronounce resistor (audio)
: a device that has electrical resistance and that is used in an electric circuit for protection, operation, or current control

Examples of resistor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The two ends of the coax cable—branching is not allowed—are fitted with terminating resistors that regulate the electrical properties of the cable so signals propagate throughout the length of the cable but don't reflect back. Iljitsch Van Beijnum, Ars Technica, 29 June 2023 His team was able to 3D-print prototype sensors in different shapes (a hollow cube and a triangle) and test them by using a wire to connect the prototypes to a resistor and microcontroller. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 21 Sep. 2023 For starters, many of the resistor values used will seem a little off. IEEE Spectrum, 27 July 2023 This means phase-change memory can encode the results of multiply-accumulate (MAC) operations—the most basic computation in the deep neural networks driving the current explosion in AI—using just a few resistors or capacitors in the memory. IEEE Spectrum, 23 Aug. 2023 When the bus is idle, or when a 1 is being transmitted, pull-up resistors hold the lines at the voltage level indicating a logical high. IEEE Spectrum, 23 Mar. 2023 The real world has broken down into a Children of Men dystopia in shades of gray, the resistors waiting in food lines dressed in shabby, ripped clothing. Emma Stefansky, Vulture, 27 July 2023 This high-stability film resistor, about 4 millimeters in diameter, is made in much the same way as its inexpensive carbon-film cousin, but with exacting precision. Eric Schlaepfer, IEEE Spectrum, 14 Jan. 2023 The memristor fills this hole, creating a fourth circuit element that would operate like a resistor with memory. Steve Volk, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'resistor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of resistor was in 1876

Dictionary Entries Near resistor

Cite this Entry

“Resistor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resistor. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

resistor

noun
re·​sis·​tor ri-ˈzis-tər How to pronounce resistor (audio)
: a device offering electrical resistance

More from Merriam-Webster on resistor

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