What does voltmeter mean?
A voltmeter is an electrical instrument used to measure voltage, or the potential difference between two points in a circuit. Its reading is usually expressed in volts, units named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta. Technicians use voltmeters to test batteries, power supplies, cables, and electrical systems, while students may encounter them in physics and electronics experiments. A voltmeter is normally connected in parallel across the component or circuit section being examined, allowing it to indicate the voltage without deliberately interrupting the flow of current. Digital models provide numerical readings, whereas analog instruments use a moving pointer. Although the term is firmly associated with specialist electrical work, voltmeters also have familiar applications in everyday troubleshooting, such as checking a car battery or testing household electrical equipment. The word is useful because it names the specific instrument for measuring one of the fundamental quantities in electricity.
nounAn electrical instrument for measuring the voltage, or potential difference, between two points in a circuit. It is commonly calibrated in volts.
- An instrument that measures electrical potential difference, usually in volts.
"Connect the voltmeter across the battery terminals to check its output."
"The technician used a digital voltmeter to test the power supply."
"A high-quality voltmeter can detect small voltage fluctuations in the circuit."
The regular plural is formed by adding -s; voltmeters is the standard plural in technical and general English.
"The laboratory has several voltmeters for measuring low-voltage circuits."
A voltmeter reveals the invisible push that drives electric current through a circuit.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does voltmeter come from?
Voltmeter was formed in the 19th century from volt, the unit of electrical potential named in honour of Alessandro Volta, and the combining form -meter, meaning an instrument that measures. The compound follows the established English pattern of joining a physical quantity to meter, as in thermometer and barometer. Its related vocabulary includes voltage, a quantity measured in volts, and voltameter, an instrument that measures current through a conductor.
Related word forms
How voltmeter is actually used
This is a technical term used in electrical engineering, electronics, physics, and related technical contexts. It is standard in both British and American English.
Easily confused with voltmeter
A voltmeter measures voltage, whereas an ammeter measures electric current.
A voltmeter is the measuring instrument; a volt is the unit in which voltage is expressed.