What does recharger mean?
A recharger is a device that restores electrical power to a battery after it has been used or discharged. The word is especially associated with batteries used in vehicles, mobile devices, cameras, power tools, and other portable equipment. Unlike a disposable power source, a rechargeable battery can be returned to useful service repeatedly by connecting it to a suitable recharger. Although “charger” is the broader and more usual term, “recharger” usefully highlights the action of restoring charge rather than merely supplying power. In consumer language, the compound is also often treated as an adjective, as in “phone recharger,” where it identifies the device or place associated with recharging. The term can additionally distinguish a charging unit intended to replenish an existing battery from a one-use or non-rechargeable product.
nounA device that restores electrical charge to a battery or other rechargeable power source. More broadly, it may refer to a charger intended to recharge one or more batteries.
- A device that restores electrical charge to a battery or other rechargeable power source.
- A charging device designed for repeated use or for replenishing a particular type of battery.
"She plugged the camera's recharger into the wall before leaving for the trip."
"The laptop recharger was missing, so she used a USB cable instead."
"The workshop keeps a spare battery recharger for its portable tools."
The plural is used when referring to multiple charging devices or units.
"The technicians tested several rechargers under different loads."
A recharger may look ordinary, but it is the bridge that turns a used battery back into a reusable source of power.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does recharger come from?
The word is formed by combining the prefix re-, meaning “again,” with charger, a device that supplies or restores electrical charge. Charger comes through French from a word meaning “to load,” ultimately associated with the Latin root for a load or conveyance. Related English words include charge and carriage, while the same Latin family also contributed to forms found in caricature.
Related word forms
How recharger is actually used
In everyday usage, “recharger” is often simply a more explicit alternative to “charger.” It is especially common in compound phrases related to vehicles, phones, and batteries.
Easily confused with recharger
A charger is the general term for a device that supplies power or restores charge, while a recharger more explicitly emphasizes the function of recharging a depleted battery.