An electrical effect produced by the action of light, such as photoemission, photoconductivity, or the photovoltaic effect; specifically the first of these.
Origin
Late 19th century; earliest use found in The Photographic Annual.
Definition of photoelectric effect in US English:
photoelectric effect
noun
Physics
An electrical effect produced by the action of light, such as photoemission, photoconductivity, or the photovoltaic effect; specifically the first of these.
Origin
Late 19th century; earliest use found in The Photographic Annual.