VocabauraVOCABAURA

alternator

noun

Simple meaning

An old term for an electric generator that produces alternating current.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

awlternayter

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈɔltɚneɪtɚ

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. electrical engineering

    An electric generator which produces alternating current through mechanical means.

  2. electrical engineering

    An old term for an electric generator that produces alternating current (especially in automobiles)

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
C1 · Advanced (estimated)
Frequency
Uncommon
Formality
Technical

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

This meaning: (electrical engineering) An electric generator which produces alternating current through mechanical means.

Used this way, alternator is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is an engineering use: it is a working term used for accuracy on the job.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Specialist/technical
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Specialized
Connotation
Clinical and technical
Usage feel
Technical and specialized

Where it naturally appears

  • Technical/specialist writing
  • Science

Usage note

In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

Share your sentence

Write your own example sentence using “alternator”. We review each one before it appears.

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

phase alternatoralternator outputalternator fieldfrequency alternatorpole alternatoralternator voltageconnected alternatorcycle alternator

Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Word family

Words built from the same root.

  • alternativenounDerived noun · specialist

    One of a number of things from which only one can be chosen.

  • alternativelyadverbDerived adverb

    In place of, or as an alternative to.

  • alternatelyadverbDerived adverb

    In an alternating sequence or position.

Related Words

Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.

Ask Vocabaura

Understand the word your way.

What Does It Mean Here?

Words can change meaning depending on context.

Use it yourself

Knowing “alternator” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.

Know the meaning? Practice using it in a real situation, free, no credits.

Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.