PRIMARY CELL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does primary cell mean? 

• PRIMARY CELL (noun)
  The noun PRIMARY CELL has 1 sense:

1. an electric cell that generates an electromotive force by an irreversible conversion of chemical to electrical energy; cannot be recharged

  Familiarity information: PRIMARY CELL used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PRIMARY CELL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An electric cell that generates an electromotive force by an irreversible conversion of chemical to electrical energy; cannot be recharged

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

galvanic cell; primary cell; voltaic cell

Hypernyms ("primary cell" is a kind of...):

cell; electric cell (a device that delivers an electric current as the result of a chemical reaction)

Meronyms (parts of "primary cell"):

anode (the negatively charged terminal of a voltaic cell or storage battery that supplies current)

cathode (the positively charged terminal of a voltaic cell or storage battery that supplies current)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "primary cell"):

Leclanche cell (voltaic cell that produces approximately 1.5 volts)

mercury cell (a primary cell consisting of a zinc anode and a cathode of mercury oxide and an electrolyte of potassium hydroxide)

standard cell (a primary cell used as a standard of electromotive force)

wet cell (a primary voltaic cell having a liquid electrolyte)

Holonyms ("primary cell" is a part of...):

galvanic battery; voltaic battery (battery consisting of a number of voltaic cells arranged in series or parallel)

 Context examples 

Parathyroid gland tissue consists of three primary cell types - chief cells, oxyphil cells and clear cells.

(Parathyroid Gland Tissue, NCI Thesaurus)

The primary cell of the parathyroid gland.

(Parathyroid Gland Chief Cell, NCI Thesaurus)