inverter
UK[ɪnˈvɜːtə(r)]US[ɪnˈvɜːrtər]
n
A device that converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).
n
A device or circuit that reverses something, such as the phase of a signal or the order of binary digits.
Morpheme Breakdown
invert
er
invert
er
Etymology
The word 'inverter' is built upon the Latin verb invertere, meaning 'to turn upside down' or 'to reverse'. This verb itself is a compound of the prepositional prefix in-, signifying 'in' or 'into', and the root vertere, a prolific verb meaning 'to turn'. The core concept of turning or reversing was carried directly into the English verb 'invert'. The agent suffix -er was then appended in English to form a noun denoting a device that performs the action of inverting. In modern technical contexts, this literal sense of 'reversing' is applied abstractly to the conversion of electrical current from one directional flow to an alternating one, or the logical reversal of a signal state.
Analysis
Structure: invert + er
invert: From Latin invertere (to turn upside down, reverse), from in- (in, on) + vertere (to turn).
er: An English agent noun suffix, indicating a person or thing that performs the action of the verb.
Examples
The solar power system requires an inverter to convert the stored DC electricity for household use.
A phase inverter is a key component in many audio amplifier circuits.
The digital circuit uses an inverter to change a logic 1 to a logic 0.