hydro
hydro — noun
1. a shortened form of hydroelectricity — power generated by capturing the natural
a shortened form of hydroelectricity — power generated by capturing the natural force of water moving in streams, rivers, or over cliffs to spin turbines and make electricity.
The new dam supplies hydro to more than one million homes in the region.
uncountable noun: supplies hydro to [number] [recipients]
During the dry season, the country's hydro output drops by nearly half.
compound modifier: hydro output
Sana's village switched from diesel generators to cheap hydro last year.
The government plans to double its hydro capacity by building three new stations.
Hydro from mountain rivers is much cleaner than electricity from coal plants.
- hydroelectricity
the full, more formal term; 'hydro' is a shortening
- hydropower
focuses on the power/energy aspect rather than the electricity output
- thermal power
electricity from burning fossil fuels
- nuclear power
electricity from nuclear fission
用法筆記
Used as a short, informal alternative to 'hydroelectricity' in news reports and everyday speech. Unlike the full form, 'hydro' is uncountable and does not combine with '-ic' endings.
常見錯誤
2. electricity provided to homes and businesses as a service from a public utility
electricity provided to homes and businesses as a service from a public utility company — used especially in Canada as a general term for the electrical power supply.
Ezra called the hydro company after the lights went out during the storm.
compound noun: hydro company
Our family hydro bill went up this month because we used the heater more.
collocation: hydro bill
The storm knocked out hydro to the whole neighborhood for six hours.
Roya pays her hydro bill online every month without any trouble.
When we moved into the apartment, the rent did not include hydro costs.
- electricity
general term; 'hydro' is region-specific and less formal
- power
common alternative in all varieties; 'hydro' is markedly Canadian
用法筆記
This sense is dominant in Canadian English, where 'hydro' historically comes from the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario. In other varieties of English, 'electricity' or 'power' is preferred. The word is used like an uncountable resource — 'cut off the hydro', 'the hydro is back on'.
常見錯誤
hydro — prefix
1. a word part added to the front of other words to show a connection with water or
a word part added to the front of other words to show a connection with water or with the power produced by moving water — for example, hydroelectric, hydrotherapy, or hydropower.
The hydroelectric station on the river is one of the largest in the world.
hydro + electric → hydroelectric (adjective + noun)
After the surgery, the doctor recommended hydrotherapy to help with the pain.
The village gets its power from a small hydropower plant by the creek.
Engineers studied the hydrology of the area before building the bridge.
The new hotel has a pool with hydro-massage jets for guests.
文法句型
hydro- + [noun]
hydro- + [adjective]
用法筆記
Unlike a standalone word, 'hydro-' as a prefix cannot be used alone — it must attach to another word root. The most common combination is 'hydroelectric'. In scientific contexts, 'hydro-' forms words related to water itself (hydrology, hydraulics); in energy contexts, it relates to water power.
常見錯誤
2. a word part added to the front of chemical terms to indicate that the substance
a word part added to the front of chemical terms to indicate that the substance contains hydrogen atoms — for example, hydrochloric acid, hydrocarbon, or hydrogen peroxide.
Hydrochloric acid is a strong chemical commonly used in school science labs.
hydro + chloric → hydrochloric acid (chemical compound)
The scientists studied how hydrocarbon fuels affect air quality in large cities.
Hydrogen peroxide is often used to clean small cuts at home.
Methane is a simple hydrocarbon that burns easily for heating homes.
The experiment produced hydroxide ions when the two liquids were mixed together.
文法句型
hydro- + [noun]
用法筆記
This prefix is restricted to scientific and technical vocabulary, especially in chemistry. It never appears as a standalone word in this sense. Unlike the WATER prefix sense, this one specifically signals the chemical element hydrogen (H), not water (H₂O), even though both contain hydrogen atoms.
常見錯誤
❌ 'Hydrogen oxide means water.' (confusing the hydrogen prefix with the water prefix) — In 'hydrogen peroxide', 'hydro-' signals hydrogen; in 'hydroelectric', 'hydro-' signals water. The two senses are distinct.