three-point switch
- noun
- Specialized
:
interruptor de tres vías
- A three-point switch allows you to turn the lights on or off from two different spots in the hallway.
Examples
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She replaced the old switch with a modern three-point switch to control the lighting from both entrances.
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Electricians commonly install a three-point switch in staircases for convenience and safety.
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The three-point switch allows control from both ends of the hallway.
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Can you install a three-point switch in the living room?
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A three-point switch allows you to control the same light fixture from two different locations.
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Electricians often use a three-point switch to provide convenient lighting control in large rooms.
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To enhance safety, she had a three-point switch installed at both ends of the staircase.
Synonyms
A device that lets you turn a light on or off from two different places
How Many Positions
Surface Forms
Morphology
three-point + switch
The compound is partly compositional: a B1 learner who knows 'three', 'point', and 'switch' can infer it denotes a switch with three contact points/terminals. However, the specific functional implication (that it allows control of a circuit from two different locations) is technical and not directly predictable from the constituent words alone, so the meaning is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Three-point switch is named for a simple image: the switch has three metal points where wires meet. Because those three points let the same light be turned on or off from two places, the name now means 'a switch with three connection points used to control a light or circuit from two locations'.