Origin: Germanic Old English prefix
Outlet has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
a place of business for retailing goods
"After checking online reviews, we decided to visit their newest outlet before heading home for lunch."
receptacle providing a place in a wiring system where current can be taken to run electrical devices
"I plugged my laptop into the wall outlet to charge it during the meeting."
A vent or similar passage to allow escape
"The mechanic had to drill a small outlet in the engine block to let out the excess pressure before it could cause an explosion."
In plain English: An outlet is a place or thing where you can let out strong feelings or energy.
"The old house had no electrical outlets in the kitchen."
Usage: An outlet refers to an opening that allows something to exit or be discharged, such as a drain pipe releasing water or a safety valve letting off steam. In everyday contexts, it most commonly describes a physical passageway for escape rather than an electrical socket.
The word "outlet" comes from the Middle English verb outlete, which meant to allow or emit something. It is formed by combining the prefix out- with the verb let, and it entered modern usage to describe a place where energy or water can escape.