Engineering English
Resistor
Electronics Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A passive two-terminal electronic component that opposes the flow of electric current and dissipates energy as heat. Its resistance value, measured in ohms, sets current and voltage levels in a circuit.
Example in context
“The engineer replaced the burned resistor with a new one rated for two watts to keep the amplifier circuit stable.”
“Mühendis, yükselteç devresini kararlı tutmak için yanan direnci iki vatlık yeni bir dirençle değiştirdi.”
Where engineers use it
Found in virtually every circuit board and schematic; engineers use resistors for current limiting, voltage division, biasing, and pull-up networks, and must select values and power ratings during design and repair.
Practice: can you use “Resistor” at work?
During a lab session, a supervisor hands you a circuit where an LED keeps failing. Determine the resistor value needed to limit the current to twenty milliamps from a five-volt supply.
Show a model answer
“This resistor limits the current flowing into the LED.”
“Resistor” in 21 languages
| English | Resistor |
|---|---|
| Turkish | Direnç |
| French | Résistance |
| German | Widerstand |
| Spanish | Resistencia |
| Chinese | 电阻器 |
| Arabic | مقاوم |
| Portuguese | Resistor |
| Russian | Резистор |
| Japanese | 抵抗器 |
| Italian | Resistore |
| Vietnamese | Điện trở |
| Hindi | प्रतिरोधक |
| Thai | ตัวต้านทาน |
| Indonesian | Resistor |
| Korean | 저항기 |
| Bengali | রোধক |
| Dutch | Weerstand |
| Swedish | Resistor |
| Finnish | Vastus |
| Ukrainian | Резистор |
Frequently asked questions
What does Resistor mean in engineering?
A passive two-terminal electronic component that opposes the flow of electric current and dissipates energy as heat. Its resistance value, measured in ohms, sets current and voltage levels in a circuit. In Electronics Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Resistor?
Resistor is pronounced /rɪˈzɪstər/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Resistor used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The engineer replaced the burned resistor with a new one rated for two watts to keep the amplifier circuit stable.”
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