generator
noun
Did you know?
Generators work by rotating a coil of wire in a magnetic field, causing a current to flow in the wire. A generator may be a huge spinning turbine powered by water, wind, steam, gas, or nuclear reactions, which sends electricity out through power lines to thousands of customers. But normally when we use the word, we're thinking of a small machine powered by gasoline or diesel, such as you might keep in your basement for those times when a storm knocks out your power, to create electricity right in front of your eyes. A special kind of generator called an alternator powers a car's electrical system (including its lights, power steering, etc.) while the car is running.
Synonyms
Examples of generator in a Sentence
Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 4 June 2024
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins declared a disaster area and noted that some nursing homes were using generators.
—CBS News, 28 May 2024
In a panic, the shop workers told him that three men in civilian clothes had pulled up in an unmarked Toyota Corolla on the morning of Sept. 3, 2016, asking his brother to take a look at a generator in the trunk.
—Matthieu Aikins Bryan Denton, New York Times, 22 May 2024
The vessel is equipped with two electric motors that deliver 500 kW each to the thrusters and two 349 kW generators that produce electrical energy.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for generator 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'generator.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near generator
Cite this Entry
“Generator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/generator. Accessed 9 Jun. 2024.
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generator
noun
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