circuit breaker
compound.compound. a safety switch that automatically stops the flow of electricity if there is a problem with the wires. It helps prevent fires or damage to your electronics when there is too much power.
compound. an automatic safety device that interrupts an electric circuit when the current becomes excessive or abnormal. It serves as a resettable alternative to a fuse for protecting electrical systems from overloads or short circuits.
The circuit breaker tripped because I plugged in too many appliances.
When the kitchen lights suddenly went out, I had to check the electrical panel to reset the circuit breaker.
Modern electrical installations rely on sensitive circuit breakers to mitigate the risk of fire by instantly severing the connection during a power surge or ground fault.
A compound of the noun circuit, from the Old French circuit, and the agent noun breaker, derived from the Old English brecan. The term describes the mechanical interruption of an electrical loop.
Often used with the verb 'trip' to describe the automatic shut-off action.