ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Etymology of electricity

Electricity is a big scary word, but it actually comes from two smaller words, 'elektron' and 'khuti'. Elektron means 'amber' – a kind of shiny yellow stone – and khuti means 'to excite' or 'to stimulate'.

Now, when you rub certain things like silk, glass, or amber against other materials, they become electrified! This electrification was first discovered by a man named Thales of Miletus, who lived in ancient Greece more than 2500 years ago.

After this discovery, people started to experiment with electricity and found out that it could produce all kinds of strange and wonderful effects, like sparks, static shocks, and even the power to light up a bulb or run a motor. Scientists started studying the electrical properties of different materials, and eventually, the word 'electricity' was coined to describe this mysterious force.

So, to sum it up, electricity comes from two words that describe how people first discovered it – by rubbing a piece of amber to get it to make sparks and strange effects that make us fascinated and curious.