cold cathode

English

Noun

cold cathode (plural cold cathodes)

1. (electronics) A type of cathode that does not use a heating element to produce emission of cathode rays (electrons), beyond base thermionic emission (usually by field electron emission, secondary emission, photoelectric emission)
   • 1962 June, “The Eastern Region completes the Colchester scheme”, in Modern Railways, page 412:

     On the open portions of the platforms the loudspeakers are installed on the cold cathode lighting columns.

Hypernyms

• cathode

Coordinate terms

• hot cathode

Derived terms

• cold-cathode fluorescent lamp (“CCFL”)
• cold-cathode lamp
• cold-cathode light
• cold-cathode tube