Meanings
plural overpotentials
- natural sciencesThe difference between the electric potential of an electrode or cell under the passage of a current and the thermodynamic value of the electrode or cell potential in the absence of electrolysis.
One of the factors that limits their development and use is that known anode and cathode electrocatalysts produce useful current densities only at high overpotentials.
1998 June 12, Erik Reddington et al., “Combinatorial Electrochemistry: A Highly Parallel, Optical Screening Method for Discovery of Better Electrocatalysts”, in Science, volume 280, number 5370, →DOI, pages 1735–1737Synonyms: overvoltage
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe difference between the electric potential of an electrode or cell under the passage of a current and the thermodynamic value of the electrode or cell potential in the absence of electrolysis.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*úp
- Proto-Indo-European*upér
- Proto-Germanic*uber
- Old Englishofer-
- Middle Englishover-
- Englishover-
- Proto-Indo-European*pótis
- Proto-Italic*potis
- Proto-Italic*potēō
- Proto-Italic*potēnts
- Latinpotēns
- Latinpotentia
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Late Latinpotentialis
- Englishpotential
- Englishoverpotential
Cite this entry
overpotential. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overpotential
“overpotential.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overpotential. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “overpotential,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overpotential.
Source: overpotential on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.