Meaning
An electronic device that allows current to flow in one direction only; used chiefly as a rectifier.
Etymology
Origin: Ancient Greek
From di- (“two”) + -ode. Learned formation, coined by William Henry Eccles in 1919, after Ancient Greek δίοδος (díodos, “passage through”), which however is formed not with δι- (di-, “two”) but with δια- (dia-, “through”).
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 13 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-07-05ODEFILV
- 2026-02-28IDEHLKO
- 2025-12-30IPDOGEL
- 2025-09-28ODTVNIE
- 2025-05-30IOBNDCE
- 2025-05-23OYDLGEI
- 2024-08-28ODNIEMZ
- 2024-03-21OXDTFEI
- 2024-01-05DOELIHK
- 2023-10-02ITBOGDE
- 2023-08-21IXDONME
- 2023-06-01IDOGELY
+1 earlier appearances in the archive.