galvanic pile
    n 1: battery consisting of voltaic cells arranged in series; the
         earliest electric battery devised by Volta [syn: voltaic
         pile, pile, galvanic pile]

Galvanic \Gal*van"ic\, a. [From Galvani, a professor of
   physiology at Bologna, on account of his connection (about
   1780) with the discovery of dynamical or current electricity:
   cf. F. galvanique.]
   Of or pertaining to, or exhibiting the phenomena of,
   galvanism; employing or producing electrical currents.
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   Galvanic battery (Elec.), an apparatus for generating
      electrical currents by the mutual action of certain
      liquids and metals; -- now usually called voltaic
      battery. See Battery.

   Galvanic circuit or Galvanic circle. (Elec.) See under
      Circuit.

   Galvanic pile (Elec.), the voltaic pile. See under
      Voltaic.
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Pile \Pile\, n. [F. pile, L. pila a pillar, a pier or mole of
   stone. Cf. Pillar.]
   1. A mass of things heaped together; a heap; as, a pile of
      stones; a pile of wood.
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   2. A mass formed in layers; as, a pile of shot.
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   3. A funeral pile; a pyre. --Dryden.
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   4. A large building, or mass of buildings.
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            The pile o'erlooked the town and drew the fight.
                                                  --Dryden.
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   5. (Iron Manuf.) Same as Fagot, n., 2.
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   6. (Elec.) A vertical series of alternate disks of two
      dissimilar metals, as copper and zinc, laid up with disks
      of cloth or paper moistened with acid water between them,
      for producing a current of electricity; -- commonly called
      Volta's pile, voltaic pile, or galvanic pile.
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   Note: The term is sometimes applied to other forms of
         apparatus designed to produce a current of electricity,
         or as synonymous with battery; as, for instance, to an
         apparatus for generating a current of electricity by
         the action of heat, usually called a thermopile.
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   7. [F. pile pile, an engraved die, L. pila a pillar.] The
      reverse of a coin. See Reverse.
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   Cross and pile. See under Cross.

   Dry pile. See under Dry.
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