ScienceAugust 18, 2026

electrohydrodynamic

eh-lek-troh-hai-droh-dai-NA-mik

Definition

Relating to the movement of a fluid (or gas) caused by the application of an electric field, often used to create propulsion without moving mechanical parts.

Etymology

The word is a compound of 'electro-' (referring to electricity), 'hydro-' (from Greek 'hudōr', meaning water or fluid), and 'dynamic' (from Greek 'dynamis', meaning power or force). It describes the physical relationship between electrical forces and the movement of fluids.

In the news

The article describes the use of electrohydrodynamic propulsion for the SPARK robots, explaining that this technology is ideal for Titan's extremely cold environment where traditional mechanical gears would likely freeze and fail.

NASA-funded flying robots could soon explore the hidden caves of Saturn's moon Titan

Read the full article ↗

starlust.org

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.