1. a generator that produces alternating current, especially one in a motor vehicle that charges the battery

Examples

• The car wouldn’t start because the alternator had failed.
• A mechanic replaced the faulty alternator in my truck.
• The alternator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.
• When the alternator belt broke, the battery quickly died.
• Modern cars rely on alternators to power their electrical systems.
• The alternator charges the battery while the engine is running.