electrical

The word “electrical” means relating to electricity or its use in devices and systems. In plain terms, relating to electricity — commonly used for wiring, engineering, and equipment.

“Electrical” is pronounced ih-LEHKT-rih-kuhl (/ɪˈlɛktɹɪkəl/ in IPA).

Here is “electrical” used in a sentence: “The house needs new electrical wiring.”

“Electrical” is an adjective.

“Electrical” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

Electrical usually refers to systems that generate, carry, or use electric power — wiring, motors, and heaters that turn electricity into heat, light, or motion. Electronic refers to devices that control the flow of electrons to process signals or information, such as computers and phones, using components like chips and transistors.

"Electric" tends to describe something powered by or producing electricity directly, as in an electric car or an electric shock. "Electrical" is the broader adjective for anything relating to electricity — an electrical system, an electrical fault, an electrical engineer. When unsure, "electrical" is the safer general-purpose word.

House wiring, plug sockets, fuse boxes, light switches, and appliances such as kettles and washing machines are all electrical, as are larger set-ups like a building's electrical circuit or a car's electrical system. Anything that runs on or handles electric current fits the description.

An electrical engineer designs, builds, and maintains systems that use electricity — power generation and distribution, wiring, motors, lighting, and control systems. The work ranges from national power grids down to the circuits inside everyday products, and it often overlaps with electronics.