LCD

Stands for "Liquid-Crystal Display." LCDs are very thin displays which are used for laptop computer screens and flat screen monitors (as well as handheld TVs, PDAs, and portable video game devices). The image on an LCD screen is created by sandwiching an electrically reactive substance between two electrodes. By increasing or reducing current, LCDs can be lightened or darkened. Since LCDs are based on the principle of blocking light (rather than emitting it), they use up much less power than a cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor.