electronics

The word “electronics” means the branch of science and engineering concerned with devices that control the flow of electrons, such as circuits and semiconductors. In plain terms, either the science of circuits and chips, or the gadgets themselves — phones, TVs, computers, and the like.

“Electronics” is pronounced ehl-ehk-TRON-ihks (/ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɑ.nɪks/ in IPA).

Here is “electronics” used in a sentence: “He studied electronics at university before becoming a hardware engineer.”

“Electronics” is a noun.

“Electronics” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Electronics” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the branch of science and engineering concerned with devices that control the flow of electrons, such as circuits and semiconductors.

Electrical work mainly concerns the generation and distribution of electrical power, such as wiring and motors. Electronics concerns controlling the flow of electrons in circuits and small devices like semiconductors and chips, so electronics deals with signals and control rather than bulk power.

When it means the branch of science and engineering, electronics is treated as singular, as in 'electronics is a fast-moving field.' When it means electronic devices collectively, it is plural, as in 'the electronics are on sale.'

Hardware usually means the physical components of a computer or system, in contrast to software. Electronics is the broader field and the wider range of devices that control the flow of electrons, so computer hardware is one application of electronics.

Electronics is a broad category covering all electronic devices, especially consumer products. Gadgets are small, often novel or specialized devices, so gadgets are a subset of electronics.