Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar photovoltaic shine "dangane da samar da wutar lantarki a mahaɗin abubuwa biyu da aka fallasa zuwa haske." An fi amfani da shi don komawa ga tsarin canza hasken rana zuwa wutar lantarki ta amfani da ƙwayoyin hasken rana ko sel na photovoltaic. Kalmar "photovoltaic" ta samo asali ne daga kalmomin Helenanci "phos" ma'ana haske, da "volt" ma'ana ƙarfin lantarki ko ƙarfin lantarki.