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Glite Dictionary
overvoltage

overvoltage

7.2
An electrical voltage higher than normal that can damage devices
  • noun
  • /ˌoʊvərˈvoʊltɪdʒ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sobretensión
  • The technician warned that an overvoltage can lead to serious equipment damage.

Examples

  • An overvoltage in the system caused the circuit board to burn out.

  • Is it the chip that I did, or did the overvoltage kill something else as well?

  • Protechline lightning and overvoltage arresters have been designed to guard against equipment damage in industrial and process-control operations.

    Academic text (1997)

  • It is protected from open circuits, short circuits, thermal overloads, and overvoltages.

    Academic text (1998)

  • To prevent overvoltage, the engineer installed a protective surge arrestor.

How High

spike
66 3.5
overvoltage
  • Specialized
7.2

Surface Forms

overvoltage singular
overvoltages plural

Morphology

overvoltage = voltage (transparent) = over + voltage

The meaning is directly and predictably derived from 'over' + 'voltage' meaning an excessively high voltage, which learners can infer.

Etymology

Overvoltage begins with over, which means 'too much', as in overeat, and ends with voltage, which is the 'push' that moves electric current. So an overvoltage is a 'too strong' electrical push that can damage devices.