Galvanism

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Galvanism \Gal"va*nism\, n. [From Galvani: cf. F. galvanisme.
     See {Galvanic}.] (Physics)
     (a) Electricity excited by the mutual action of certain
         liquids and metals; dynamical electricity.
     (b) The branch of physical science which treats of dynamical
         elecricity, or the properties and effects of electrical


         currents.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The words galvanism and galvanic, formerly in very
           general use, are now rarely employed. For the latter,
           voltaic, from the name of Volta, is commonly used.
           [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Voltaism \Vol"ta*ism\, n. [Cf. F. volta["i]sme.] (Physics)
     That form of electricity which is developed by the chemical
     action between metals and different liquids; voltaic
     electricity; also, the science which treats of this form of
     electricity; -- called also {galvanism}, from Galvani, on
     account of his experiments showing the remarkable influence
     of this agent on animals.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  galvanism
       n 1: electricity produced by chemical action
       2: the therapeutic application of electricity to the body [syn:
           {electric healing}, {electrical healing}]