electrical

electrical — adjective

1. connected with the use or flow of electric power — describing equipment, wiring,

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

connected with the use or flow of electric power — describing equipment, wiring, jobs, or safety matters that involve electricity

Example

Yasmin works as an electrical engineer for a wind power company in Scotland.

collocation: electrical engineer

The old house needed new electrical wiring before the family could move in.

collocation: electrical wiring

Common collocations
  • electrical engineer
  • electrical wiring
  • electrical equipment
  • electrical system
  • electrical appliance
  • electrical fault
  • electrical fire
  • electrical safety
  • electrical outlet
  • electrical work
Synonyms
  • electric

    'Electric' is used for devices directly powered by electricity (e.g. electric car), while 'electrical' refers more broadly to the system, profession, or field.

Antonyms
  • manual

    Manual devices are operated by hand rather than by electric power

  • non-electric

    Not involving or using electricity

Grammar Patterns

electrical + noun

Usage Note

Almost always used directly before a noun (e.g. electrical equipment, not ✗ the equipment is electrical). To describe a device that runs on electricity, use electric instead (e.g. an electric kettle, not ✗ an electrical kettle).

Common Mistakes

I need to buy an electrical toothbrush.
I need to buy an electric toothbrush.
Use 'electric' for devices that run on electricity; use 'electrical' for the system or profession.
There was an electrical shock.
There was an electric shock.
The fixed phrase is 'electric shock'; 'electrical' is not used here.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Both 'electric' and 'electrical' relate to electricity, but they are not interchangeable. 'Electric' describes devices or machines that are directly powered by electricity — for example, an electric car runs on battery power, and an electric drill uses mains electricity to spin. 'Electrical' has a broader meaning: it refers to the entire system, field, or science of electricity. You study electrical engineering, not electric engineering; you call a worker an electrical engineer, not an electric engineer. A good rule of thumb: if the thing itself runs on electricity, use 'electric'; if you are talking about the profession, system, or safety of electricity, use 'electrical'. For instance: 'She bought an electric oven' (the oven uses electricity to cook), but 'She works in electrical safety' (her job is about safety rules for electricity).

electric ↗electrical ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Prepositions

  • in electrical [field]
  • for electrical [purpose]

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from the Greek word 'ēlektron' (ἤλεκτρον), meaning 'amber' — because ancient Greeks discovered that rubbing amber produced static electricity. This became Latin 'electricus', then French 'électrique', and finally English 'electric', with the suffix '-al' added to form the adjective.