ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dynamo

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈdaɪnəˌmoʊ// UK //dˈaɪnɐmˌəʊ// dy·namo

n. a machine that turns movement into electricity. It can also describe a person who has a huge amount of energy and never seems to stop working.

n. a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, typically through a rotating commutator. In a figurative sense, refers to an exceptionally energetic or productive person.


SIMPLE

The old bicycle used a small dynamo to power its headlight.

CONTEXTUAL

The factory installed a large dynamo to ensure the machinery would keep running during a power cut.

COMPLEX

The team's lead researcher is a literal dynamo, managing three separate projects while simultaneously publishing groundbreaking papers in international journals.

Origin

A shortening of dynamo-electric machine. The element dynamo- is ultimately from Ancient Greek δύναμις (dúnamis, “power”).

Usage

Countable in both its technical and figurative senses.

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