static electricity
nounDefinition of static electricity
: electricity that consists of isolated motionless charges (such as those produced by friction)
Examples of static electricity in a Sentence
In dry weather, static electricity can cause clothes to cling.
Recent Examples on the Web
By harvesting the everyday energy of static electricity, scientists may have found the world's most plentiful source of renewable, sustainable power. — Anna Groves, Discover Magazine, "Table of Contents September/October 2019," 11 Aug. 2019 Due to their size and lack of static electricity, the gems do not stick to the dirt, but are more easily identified following a heavy rain storm and sunshine. — Eric Todisco, PEOPLE.com, "Nebraska Teacher Finds 2.12-Carat Diamond in Arkansas State Park While on Family Vacation," 30 July 2019 Butane is colorless and odorless, and can cause a significant explosion from even the smallest spark, like the tiny shock of static electricity. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "San Diego hash oil labs growing in sophistication, but who’s behind them?," 24 June 2019 But my best guess now is somewhat like static electricity. — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, "I Tried Kim Kardashian's Favorite Laser Skin-Tightening Treatment," 30 May 2019 Triboelectricity realizes itself as small-scale static electricity generated from friction, the type that can be seen when hair rubs against a balloon and the balloon sticks to a wall. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Bionic Knee Replacements Are Powered By Your Walk," 30 Jan. 2019 Scientists have also sought to use the same effect behind everyday static electricity to power devices. — Charles Q. Choi, Washington Post, "How the body could power pacemakers and other implantable devices," 9 June 2018 The material temporarily loses some of its stickiness when kept in the cold for two main reasons: First, the cooler air cuts back on that annoying static electricity. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Storing Plastic Wrap in the Freezer Makes It WAY Easier to Handle," 31 Oct. 2018 Scientists have also sought to use the same effect behind everyday static electricity to power devices. — Charles Q. Choi, Washington Post, "How the body could power pacemakers and other implantable devices," 9 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'static electricity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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