ALTERNATING CURRENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does alternating current mean? 

• ALTERNATING CURRENT (noun)
  The noun ALTERNATING CURRENT has 1 sense:

1. an electric current that reverses direction sinusoidally

  Familiarity information: ALTERNATING CURRENT used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ALTERNATING CURRENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An electric current that reverses direction sinusoidally

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Synonyms:

AC; alternating current; alternating electric current

Context example:

In the US most household current is AC at 60 cycles per second

Hypernyms ("alternating current" is a kind of...):

electrical energy; electricity; power (energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor)

Antonym:

direct current (an electric current that flows in one direction steadily)

 Context examples 

An electrical device that converts direct current to alternating current.

(Inverter Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)

A valve designed to control the flow of air to a carburetor or a coil in an electronic circuit that passes direct current and attenuates alternating current.

(Choke Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)

An electric generator designed to produce an alternating current.

(Alternator Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)