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power cord

power cord

4 2.2
A cable that connects a device to a wall outlet to give it power
  • noun
  • /ˈpaʊər kɔrd/
translation icon : cable de alimentación
  • Plug in your power cord, first to the wall, and then to the Raspberry Pi.
  • unplug the power cord
  • plug the power cord
  • shore power cord

Examples

  • This one has to use the power cord, so there's no option of plugging this directly into the wall.

  • Unplug the power cord from the back of the computer tower.

  • And this system is connected through this power cord to the ground of the earth.

  • I found the power cord.

  • Bring an extra power cord if you use a Mac.

    Blog text (33)
  • We've got our power cord, it's hooked up to there.

  • He plugged the power cord into a socket over the sink.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The girl sat the baby in a nearby armchair and started unkinking a tangled power cord running to a pair of headphones.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • You'll need to connect the power cord to the outlet to turn on the lamp.

  • She always brings a spare power cord for her laptop when she travels.

Synonyms

cord
vspower cord
  • US
92 2.0

A thin insulated wire that carries electricity to appliances

supplies electricity from a source rather than being only internal wiring
power cable
vspower cord
5 2.4

A wire that carries electricity to a machine or device

supplies electricity from a source directly to an appliance or device
electrical cable
vspower cord
1 2.8

Wires wrapped in a covering that carry electricity to devices

supplies electricity specifically to an appliance from a nearby source
electric cord
vspower cord
1 2.4

A flexible covered wire that carries electricity to an appliance

supplies electricity from a source to an appliance using a flexible connection

How Thick

power cable
5 2.4
power cord
4 2.2

Surface Forms

power cord singular
power cords plural

Morphology

power + cord

The meaning 'a flexible cable that supplies electrical power' is directly and compositionally derived from 'power' (electrical energy) + 'cord' (a cable or insulated wire). This is a transparent compound noun used in technical and everyday contexts and has clear parallels in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

Power cord is a name that shows its parts: power (electric energy) and cord (a thin, flexible cable). It is the cable you plug into a socket to bring electricity to a device, so it means 'the cable that supplies power'.