Wordnet 3.0
NOUN (1)
1.
a motor that converts electricity to mechanical work;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Electric \E*lec"tric\ ([-e]*l[e^]k"tr[i^]k), Electrical
\E*lec"tric*al\ ([-e]*l[e^]k"tr[i^]*kal), a. [L. electrum amber,
a mixed metal, Gr. 'h`lektron; akin to 'hle`ktwr the beaming
sun, cf. Skr. arc to beam, shine: cf. F. ['e]lectrique. The
name came from the production of electricity by the friction
of amber.]
1. Pertaining to electricity; consisting of, containing,
derived from, or produced by, electricity; as, electric
power or virtue; an electric jar; electric effects; an
electric spark; an electric charge; an electric current;
an electrical engineer.
[1913 Webster]
2. Capable of occasioning the phenomena of electricity; as,
an electric or electrical machine or substance; an
electric generator.
[1913 Webster]
3. Electrifying; thrilling; magnetic. "Electric Pindar."
--Mrs. Browning.
[1913 Webster]
4. powered by electricity; as, electrical appliances; an
electric toothbrush; an electric automobile.
[WordNet 1.5]
Electric atmosphere, or Electric aura. See under Aura.
Electrical battery. See Battery.
Electrical brush. See under Brush.
Electric cable. See Telegraph cable, under Telegraph.
Electric candle. See under Candle.
Electric cat (Zo["o]l.), one of three or more large species
of African catfish of the genus Malapterurus (esp. M.
electricus of the Nile). They have a large electrical
organ and are able to give powerful shocks; -- called also
sheathfish.
Electric clock. See under Clock, and see
Electro-chronograph.
Electric current, a current or stream of electricity
traversing a closed circuit formed of conducting
substances, or passing by means of conductors from one
body to another which is in a different electrical state.
Electric eel, or Electrical eel (Zo["o]l.), a South
American eel-like fresh-water fish of the genus Gymnotus
(G. electricus), from two to five feet in length,
capable of giving a violent electric shock. See
Gymnotus.
Electrical fish (Zo["o]l.), any fish which has an
electrical organ by means of which it can give an
electrical shock. The best known kinds are the torpedo,
the gymnotus, or electrical eel, and the electric
cat. See Torpedo, and Gymnotus.
Electric fluid, the supposed matter of electricity;
lightning. [archaic]
Electrical image (Elec.), a collection of electrical points
regarded as forming, by an analogy with optical phenomena,
an image of certain other electrical points, and used in
the solution of electrical problems. --Sir W. Thomson.
Electric machine, or Electrical machine, an apparatus for
generating, collecting, or exciting, electricity, as by
friction.
Electric motor. See Electro-motor, 2.
Electric osmose. (Physics) See under Osmose.
Electric pen, a hand pen for making perforated stencils for
multiplying writings. It has a puncturing needle driven at
great speed by a very small magneto-electric engine on the
penhandle.
Electric railway, a railway in which the machinery for
moving the cars is driven by an electric current.
Electric ray (Zo["o]l.), the torpedo.
Electric telegraph. See Telegraph.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
electric motor
n 1: a motor that converts electricity to mechanical work