Anelectric

/ˌænɪˈlɛktrɪk/ adjective

Definition

Not electric; not having electric properties; unable to be electrified, or not produced by electricity.

Etymology

From Greek an- (not) plus electric (from amber, elektron in Greek, which was noticed to attract things when rubbed). The prefix negates electrical properties.

Kelly Says

The term anelectric became useful when 18th-century scientists were categorizing materials—amber, glass, and sulfur were 'electrics' that held charge, while metals were 'anelectrics,' a distinction that seemed important until scientists realized all materials could be charged under the right conditions.

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