Vol·ta·ic a.
 1. Of or pertaining to Alessandro Volta, who first devised apparatus for developing electric currents by chemical action, and established this branch of electric science; discovered by Volta; as, voltaic electricity.
 2. Of or pertaining to voltaism, or voltaic electricity; as, voltaic induction; the voltaic arc.
 Note: ☞ See the Note under Galvanism.
 Voltaic arc, a luminous arc, of intense brilliancy, formed between carbon points as electrodes by the passage of a powerful voltaic current.
 Voltaic battery, an apparatus variously constructed, consisting of a series of plates or pieces of dissimilar metals, as copper and zinc, arranged in pairs, and subjected to the action of a saline or acid solution, by which a current of electricity is generated whenever the two poles, or ends of the series, are connected by a conductor; a galvanic battery.  See Battery, 4. (b), and Note.
 Voltaic circuit. See under Circuit.
 Voltaic couple or Voltaic element, a single pair of the connected plates of a battery.
 Voltaic electricity. See the Note under Electricity.
 Voltaic pile, a kind of voltaic battery consisting of alternate disks of dissimilar metals, separated by moistened cloth or paper.  See 5th Pile.
 Voltaic protection of metals, the protection of a metal exposed to the corrosive action of sea water, saline or acid liquids, or the like, by associating it with a metal which is positive to it, as when iron is galvanized, or coated with zinc.

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 Gal·van·ic a.  Of or pertaining to, or exhibiting the phenomena of, galvanism; employing or producing electrical currents.
 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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 voltaic battery
      n : battery consisting of a number of voltaic cells arranged in
          series or parallel [syn: galvanic battery]