Meaning & use
thermoelectric
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivebefore a nountechnicalphysics
Connected with the direct turning of a temperature difference into electric voltage, or the opposite process.
Grammar: Usually comes before a noun: 'thermoelectric material'.
Patterns
- thermoelectric generator
- thermoelectric cooler
- thermoelectric material
- thermoelectric effect
A thermoelectric generator can produce electricity from the heat of a car engine.
The lab is testing a new thermoelectric material that works at room temperature.
Thermoelectric cooling is used in small refrigerators and electronic devices.
Common combinations
- thermoelectric generator
- The spacecraft uses a thermoelectric generator to convert heat into power.
- thermoelectric cooler
- A thermoelectric cooler keeps the laser at a stable temperature.
- thermoelectric material
- Researchers are looking for a cheap thermoelectric material for waste-heat recovery.
Word family
- thermoelectricity noun
- Electricity produced directly from heat differences.
Commonly confused: thermoelectric or thermionic?
thermoelectric vs thermionic
Thermionic refers to the emission of electrons from hot surfaces; thermoelectric is about heat-to-electricity conversion.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
'Thermoelectric' is the standard adjective before nouns like 'generator'. 'Thermoelectrical' is not the usual form, and 'thermoelectricity' is a noun, not an adjective.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “thermoelectric”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.