pv

pv — abbreviation

1. short for photovoltaic — relating to the process of turning light from the sun d

1.abbreviationB2
Definition

short for photovoltaic — relating to the process of turning light from the sun directly into electricity using materials called semiconductors.

Example

The new housing development uses pv panels on every roof.

pv + noun: pv panels

China now produces more than 80% of the world's pv cells.

Common collocations
  • pv panel
  • pv cell
  • pv system
  • pv array
  • pv module
  • pv installation
  • pv technology

Grammar Patterns

pv + noun (pv panel, pv cell, pv system)

Usage Note

Always used before a noun (pv panel, pv cell, pv system). Capitalisation varies — lowercase pv is more common in technical writing, while PV (all caps) appears in official product names and standards.

Common Mistakes

We are installing pv on the roof.
We are installing pv panels on the roof.
pv is an abbreviation that must modify a noun; it cannot stand alone as a noun.

2. short for polyvinyl — relating to a group of plastics made from vinyl chemical c

2.abbreviationC1
Definition

short for polyvinyl — relating to a group of plastics made from vinyl chemical compounds, used in pipes, coatings, cables, and industrial films.

Example

PVC pipes are the most common example of a pv material.

pv + noun: pv material, exemplification: PVC as instance

The electrical cables are wrapped in a pv coating for safety.

pv + noun: pv coating

Common collocations
  • pv material
  • pv coating
  • pv polymer
  • pv resin
  • pv film
  • pv pipe
  • pv compound

Grammar Patterns

pv + noun (pv material, pv coating, pv pipe)

Usage Note

Always used before a noun. Most commonly encountered in the form PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride). When used as a bare abbreviation (pv), it typically appears in technical specifications and chemical labelling.

Common Mistakes

This pipe is made of pv.
This pipe is made of PVC.
pv alone is not the name of a specific material; PVC is the specific compound.

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

pv is a written abbreviation formed from the first letters of two different compound terms. In sense 1, it stands for photo-voltaic (from Greek phōs 'light' + voltaic, named after Italian physicist Alessandro Volta). In sense 2, it stands for poly-vinyl (from Greek polus 'many' + Latin vinum 'wine', referring to the ethylene-alcohol origin of vinyl compounds). Both abbreviations arose in technical English during the mid-20th century as solar energy and plastics industries expanded.