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rated voltage

rated voltage

5.5
The highest electrical pressure a device can safely handle without damage or sparks
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : tensión nominal
  • Using electrical equipment beyond its rated voltage can lead to serious malfunctions.

Examples

  • To ensure safety, always operate the device within its rated voltage limits.

  • Use it outside the rated voltage and there will be death and destruction.

  • The manufacturer specifies a rated voltage to prevent damage during operation.

Antonyms

overvoltage
  • Specialized
7.2

An electrical voltage higher than normal that can damage devices

How High

high-voltage
  • Specialized
7 4.2
rated voltage
  • Specialized
5.5
low-voltage
  • Specialized
1 4.2

Surface Forms

rated voltage singular

Morphology

rated + voltage

The meaning is directly compositional: 'rated' conveys an assigned or specified rating and 'voltage' is electric potential, so 'rated voltage' straightforwardly means the voltage a device is specified/authorized to handle. Although technical, this adjective+noun pattern follows normal English composition and similar phrasing exists in other languages, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

The term rated voltage comes from the idea of a label that shows a safe limit for a device: rated means given a 'limit' and voltage is the electric 'pressure' that pushes the current. So, rated voltage is the marked maximum electric pressure a device can safely handle.