A contactor is an electrical device that is widely used for switching circuits on and off. As such, electrical contactors form a subcategory of electromagnetic switches known as relays.
A relay is an electrically operated switching device that uses an electromagnetic coil to open and close a set of contacts. This action results in a circuit powering either on or off (establishing or interrupting the circuit). A contactor is a specific type of relay, although there are some important differences between a relay and a contactor.
Contactors are principally designed for use in applications where a large amount of current needs to be switched. If you are looking for a concise electrical contactor definition, you could say something like the following:
A contactor is an electrically controlled switching device, designed for repeatedly opening and closing a circuit. Contactors tend to be used for higher current-carrying applications than standard relays, which do a similar job with low current switching.
#contactor