potentiometer

[puh-ten-shee-om-i-ter]

noun

Electricity.

1. a device for measuring electromotive force or potential difference by comparison with a known voltage.

2. voltage divider.

potentiometer

/ pəˌtɛnʃɪˈɒmɪtə /

noun

1. an instrument for determining a potential difference or electromotive force by measuring the fraction of it that balances a standard electromotive force

2. a device with three terminals, two of which are connected to a resistance wire and the third to a brush moving along the wire, so that a variable potential can be tapped off: used in electronic circuits, esp as a volume control

potentiometer

1. A mechanical variable resistor.

2. See more at resistor

3. An instrument for measuring an unknown voltage by comparison with a known voltage, such as that of a generator.

Other Word Forms

• potentiometric adjective
• potentiometry noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of potentiometer¹

1880–85; potenti(al) + -o- + -meter

Example Sentences

Within the packages I found diodes, capacitors, a potentiometer, and more: all the final parts I needed to complete my teleporter.

From Literature

Adjust the potentiometer to the lowest percentage at which it will still grind.

From The Verge

Arranged in a large hall at the back of the private, nonprofit museum were 46 tables covered with resistors, potentiometers, capacitors, wires, wire nuts, wire markers, vacuum tubes and VU meters.

From Washington Post

In each hand, eight linear potentiometers act as displacement sensors, and 16 pressure sensors provide feedback about the positions, angles, and forces of fingers.

From Forbes

"Sixteen NiCad batteries," Sasson says, pointing to the Nickel Cadmium batteries through a mess of exposed wires and nubby tabs called potentiometers.

From Washington Post