A-F | G-L | M-R | S-Z

• AC current (Alternating Current) - electrical current whose charge magnitude and flow direction follow a cyclic pattern.
• Alloy - homogenous metallic mix consisting of 2 or more elements, at least one of which is metal.
• Ampere (Amp) - a unit of electrical current measuring electric charge per second.
• Annealing - heating and cooling treatment used to improve metalworking materials by softening, relieving internal stress(es) and refining the external structure of the metal to be shaped.
• Anodizing - electrolytic process that adds thickness and density to the outer layer of natural oxide on a metal surface.
• ARIB (Association of Radio Industry Broadcasters) - radio spectrum and frequency change standardization agency located in Japan.
• ASTM International (American Society for Testing Materials) - international organization responsible for testing and standardizing industry materials.
• AWG (American Wire Gauge) - standardized measurement system for electrical conducting wire.
• Back Reflection - the percentage of power reflected back from a specific point on a path of light in fiber optics, expressed as a negative dB.
• Bandwidth - the difference between frequencies along an electronic signal spectrum, expressed in hertz.
• Base Metal - metal that makes up the base of a connector, contact or other metal accessory; additional metals or coatings may be added on top of the base.
• Bend Radius (minimum safe bending radius) - maximum amount fiber or cable can be bent without incurring damage.
• Braid - protective textile cover used for plastic insulation to provide mechanical or thermal protections by separating cable segments and acting as a flame retardant.
• Breakdown Voltage - voltage required to breakdown the insulation between two conductors.
• Bundle - grouping of rigid or flexible fiber optics that carries a common signal.
• Cable - insulated conductor configured in a twisted or parallel structure.
• Center Conductor - innermost center conductive contact in a coaxial structure.
• Cladding - conduit layer of glass or similar material surrounding the core whose refractive index is lower than that of the core so that it may carry light through the fiber.
• Coaxial Line - transmission line made up of a hollow, outer conductor cylindrical tube in which a center conductor is suspended, with or without a dielectric support.
• Concentric - center core surrounded by one or more layers of materials, all of which share a common central axis.
• Conductor - wire(s) or other material(s) not insulated from one another that easily permit the flow of electric current.
• Connector - all types of devices that provide rapid connect/disconnect service for wires, cables, and fibers.
• Contact Engaging & Separating Force - force required to engage or separate pin and socket contacts whether they are in or out of connector inserts.
• Contact Inspection Hole - hole placed in the rear portion of a contact that is used to measure the depth to which a wire has been inserted.
• Contact Plating - metal coating that is plated onto the basic contact metal to meet the required contact and/or wear resistance.
• Contact Resistance - maximum amount of electrical resistance pin and socket contacts are allowed to generate when assembled in a connector under standard use.
• Contact Retention - minimum axial load that a contact must withstand in either direction while maintaining a firm, fixed position within an insert.
• Continuity Check - test of finished wire or cable that determines if the electrical current can and will flow continuously through the material without interruption without any shorts.
• Contacts - electrical conducting pieces within a connecting device that provide a steady connection that can be separated if needed.
• Core - Cable Core: component or group of components over which other materials are applied, e.g. components, shield, sheath, or armor.
  Fiber Optic Core: highly refractive transparent glass or plastic through which light travels by internal reflections.
• Corrosion - slow degradation of materials by chemical agents and/or electrochemical reactions; rust is the most common.
• Coupler - intermediate device that can be used to attach accessories or mounting mechanisms, making two non-matching connectors intermatable.
• Creepage Path - path that electricity must follow across a dielectric to bridge cross two conductors; longer creepage paths reduce the likelihood of arc damage or tracking.
• Crimp Termination - type of connection that secures a metal sleeve to a conductor by mechanically crimping the sleeve with pliers or a similar tool.
• Current - rate of electricity transfer, expressed in amperes (amps).
• Current Rating - maximum recommended amount of continuous electrical current, expressed in amperes (amps).
• Cycle - complete sequence of an alternating electric current, including the reverse flow process.
• dB - abbreviation for decibel, a measurement of power. Conductor signal loss is expressed in decibels to show the ratio of the power input to output.
• Delay Line - cable specifically designed to produce a long delay in electrical signal transmission by using a low velocity of propagation.
• Derating Factor - a value that determines how much the power of a current-carrying wire must be reduced when used in environments other than that for which the material was intended.
• Dielectric - an inert material used as a non-conductive insulator to intervene between two conductors and permit electrostatic attraction and repulsion to take place.
• Dielectric Constant (K) - measure of the extent to which a material concentrates electrostatic lines of flux.
• Dielectric Strength - maximum electric voltage an insulating material can withstand without breaking down, expressed as a voltage gradient.
• Direct Current (D-C) - continuous electric current that flows in only one direction and is therefore constant in value.
• Durometer - measurement of the hardness of a substance.
• Eccentricity - measure taken at the center of a conductor's location with respect to the circular cross-section of the insulator around it.
• Elastomer - elastic polymer that stretches to at least twice its length under low stress and snaps back to original length upon release of stress.
• Electroplating - process of using electrical current to coat an electrically conductive object with a relatively thin layer of metal.
• Engaging and Separating Force - amount of force needed to engage and/or separate contact elements in mating connectors.
• Environmentally Sealed - connector that uses one or more devices to keep out environmental factors that might lower its performance.
• Epoxy Resin - type of plastic that becomes hard and infusible once a hardening agent is applied; also has excellent adhesive action, high chemical, solvent, and thermal resistance, and low shrinkage on curing.
• Extraction Tool - tool for extracting contacts from a connector.
• Feed-Thru - connector that has double-ended terminals to facilitate simple distribution and bussing of electrical circuits.
• Ferrule - metal circular tube clamp used to create connections without soldering.
• Fiber - glass or plastic fiber that is used to guide light along its length.
• Fiber Optics (F.O.) - engineering and applied science dealing with lightwave or optical communications systems where electrical information is converted to light energy, transmitted to another location through optical fibers and then converted back into electrical information.
• Flange - mechanical lip on the outside of a connector that enables it to attach to a panel or seal with a gasket or o-ring.
• Flexible - cable trait that allows for bending under the influence of outside force.
• Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) - FEP is similar to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTPE) but has a melting point of about 50° C lower and slightly different physical properties.
• Frequency - number of times an alternating current repeats its cycle in one second, expressed in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz).
• Front Mounted - connector attached to the outside or mating side of a panel and can only be installed or removed from the outside of the equipment.