Meanings
nounDowns cell (plural Downs cells)
plural Downs cells
- An electrochemical cell with a carbon anode, an iron cathode, and a liquid sodium chloride electrolyte, used for the commercial preparation of metallic sodium.
Origin
Invented in 1923 by the American chemist James Cloyd Downs (1885–1957).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
Downs cell. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Downs%20cell
MLA
“Downs cell.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Downs%20cell. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Downs cell,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Downs%20cell.
Source: Downs cell on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.