Transformers

/trænsˈfɔrmərz/ noun

Definition

Devices that change the voltage of electrical current, or fictional robots that can change shape from vehicles into fighting machines.

Etymology

From Latin 'trans-' (across) and 'formare' (to shape). First used scientifically in the 1880s to describe electrical equipment, then popularized as a toy brand name in the 1980s.

Kelly Says

The electrical transformer was invented right when electricity was becoming commonplace—without them, power couldn't travel long distances efficiently, so modern cities literally wouldn't exist.

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