galvanic pile
- noun
- /ɡælˈvænɪk paɪl/
- Archaic
:
pila galvánica
- The galvanic pile was a crucial invention that helped pave the way for modern batteries.
Examples
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The galvanic pile was invented by Alessandro Volta.
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Scientists in the 19th century experimented with the galvanic pile to better understand electricity.
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Alessandro Volta is known for inventing the galvanic pile, the first true battery.
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Many scientists studied the galvanic pile in the 19th century.
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Alessandro Volta is known for inventing the galvanic pile, which was the first true battery.
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Scientists in the 19th century experimented with the galvanic pile to understand electricity better.
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The galvanic pile was an important invention that laid the foundation for the development of modern batteries.
Synonyms
1
8.7
An early electric battery made from stacked metal discs
A simple early battery made from stacked metal discs like zinc and copper
A set of cells that make electricity when chemicals react
A group of cells that make electricity by chemical reactions
Surface Forms
Morphology
The term is compositionally transparent: 'galvanic' means relating to electricity and 'pile' denotes a stack, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer a stacked arrangement that produces electricity (i.e. an early battery). Although somewhat technical and historically specific, the meaning follows normal adjective+noun composition and is derivable from the parts.
Etymology
The noun galvanic pile comes from old experiments where metal made dead frogs' legs twitch; people called that effect galvanic after the scientist Galvani, and Alessandro Volta stacked metal discs into a pile to make a steady flow of electricity. So galvanic pile means an early 'battery' that made a steady 'electric current'.