Etymologically
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voltage

Etymology and origin of the English word voltage

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1882
Ultimate origin
English (volt)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈvəʊltɪd͡ʒ/, /ˈvɒltɪd͡ʒ/ (UK); /ˈvoʊltɪd͡ʒ/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is from volt with the suffix -age.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Electromotive force reckoned in volts: 1882 in Etymonline, 1890 in the OED and Merriam-Webster.[2][5][3]

Semantic evolution

Figurative use, as of the intensity of a performance, is from 1890.[5] Compounds such as voltage regulator and voltage doubler are from 1952.[5]

Timeline

  • 1882 – voltage.[2]
  • 1890 – figurative use.[5]
  • 1952 – voltage regulator.[5]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Electromotive force or potential difference, expressed in volts.

Word family

  • high-voltage
  • kilovoltage
  • overvoltage
  • breakdown voltage
  • voltage divider
  • volt
  • voltaic
  • amperage

Usage notes

An older voltage, the action of making a horse move in voltes, is from 1606.[5]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Voltage.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/voltage. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·