Phrase guide

displacement current

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The direction and rate of change of the electric displacement field at a given point of space and time. It can be expressed as a vector.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: electrical-engineering, electromagnetism, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

Examples

  • When a capacitor is charging, a current flows into one of its two plates, a displacement current flows from that plate to its other plate, and a current flows out of that other plate.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: corrent de desplaçament — change of the electric displacement field
  • French: courant de déplacement — change of the electric displacement field
  • German: Verschiebungsstrom — change of the electric displacement field
  • Italian: corrente di spostamento — change of the electric displacement field
  • Portuguese: corrente de deslocamento — change of the electric displacement field
  • Spanish: corriente de desplazamiento — change of the electric displacement field