General
romex
What does romex mean?
Brand name (Southwire) for Type NM — non-metallic sheathed cable — that's become the generic word for it, like Kleenex or Hoover. Flat plastic jacket, usually white (14-gauge) or yellow (12-gauge) or orange (10-gauge), with two or three insulated conductors plus a bare ground inside. The default residential wiring in the US and Canada.
"Pull a run of 12-2 Romex from the panel to the kitchen island."
Origin
Coined 1922 by Rome Wire Company of Rome, NY — 'Rome' + 'Ex' for the experimental product line. Trademark now owned by Southwire.
Frequently asked questions
What is Romex?
Romex is the plastic-jacketed house wiring found in basically every American home built since the 1960s.
How do you use Romex in a sentence?
"Run some Romex from the panel to the new outlet in the bedroom."
Is Romex a brand name?
Yes — Romex is a trademarked brand of non-metallic sheathed cable, but the name is used generically for that plastic-jacketed wiring.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
