Buck

Definition

A "buck" or "step-down" switch-mode voltage regulator is one in which the output voltage is lower than its input voltage.

Note: A customer asked the origin of the term and no one seems to know! A buck regulator is a step-down regulator, as opposed to boost. We think it's an American term — in England it was always "step-down."

Buck means to resist or reduce (as in "buck the trend"), and hence was used to denote a step-down. Conveniently, it alliterates with the opposite, a boost regulator.

Synonyms