# electric

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ɪˈlɛktɹɪk/ · frequency rank #1,934

## Definitions
1. Of, relating to, produced by, operated with, or utilising electricity; electrical.
2. Of or relating to an electronic version of a musical instrument that has an acoustic equivalent.
3. Emotionally thrilling; electrifying.

## Etymology
First attested in c. 1646 in a publication by Thomas Browne. From New Latin ēlectricus (“electrical; of amber”), from ēlectr(um) (“amber”) + -icus (“adjectival suffix”); from Ancient Greek ἤλεκτρον (ḗlektron, “amber”); related to ἠλέκτωρ (ēléktōr, “shining sun”), of unknown origin (see which for more). The Latin term was apparently used first with the sense electrical in 1600 by the English physician and scientist William Gilbert in his work De Magnete.

## Easily confused with
- **electron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/electric-vs-electron)
- **electrics** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/electric-vs-electrics)
- **electronic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/electric-vs-electronic)
- **electrical** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/electric-vs-electrical)
- **Electra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/electra-vs-electric)
- **eclectic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eclectic-vs-electric)

## Common misspellings (12)
`eelctric`, `elcetric`, `elecctric`, `elecrtic`, `electirc`, `electrci`, `electricc`, `electrric`, `electtric`, `eletcric`, `ellectric`, `leectric`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/electric