ENGLISH
REFERENCE

charger

n.
US //ˈtʃɑɹdʒɝ// UK //tʃˈɑːdʒɐ// charg·er
  1. 1 electronic device (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a piece of equipment used to put electricity into a battery, like for a phone.

    an apparatus used to restore the electrical charge in a secondary cell or rechargeable battery.

    Example

    I forgot my phone charger at home, so my battery is almost dead.

    Example

    The universal adoption of USB-C standards has significantly reduced the variety of chargers required for modern portable electronics.

  2. 2 war horse (n.)
    C1 Advanced Archaic Literary

    a strong horse that soldiers used to ride into battle in the past.

    a powerful horse trained for combat and ridden by cavalry or knights.

    Example

    The knight sat tall on his black charger before the battle began.

    Example

    The general's white charger remained remarkably calm despite the deafening roar of the cannons during the final assault.

  3. 3 large plate (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Cooking

    a very large plate used for serving food or as a decoration under other plates.

    a large, often decorative platter or plate used for serving food or as a base for smaller dishes in formal dining.

    Example

    The waiter placed the soup bowl on a silver charger.

    Example

    For the state banquet, the tables were set with ornate gold chargers that had been in the royal collection for centuries.

  4. 4 firearm tool (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    a small metal strip that holds bullets together so you can load a gun quickly.

    a device, often a metal strip, that holds several cartridges together to facilitate the rapid loading of a firearm magazine.

    Example

    The soldier pulled a fresh charger from his pouch to reload his rifle.

    Example

    The introduction of the ten-round charger allowed infantrymen to reload their bolt-action rifles far more efficiently under pressure under fire.

    • stripper clip
    • speed loader
Origin

From Middle English chargere, equivalent to charge + -er.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated June 20, 2026