The protective outer layer of an electrical cable that bundles individual insulated wires together. It can be made of non-metallic materials like PVC or nylon, or metallic materials like interlocking aluminum armor, providing resistance against moisture, abrasion, and chemical damage.
Heard on the job
Strip back about eight inches of the sheath before you push the wires into the box.
Also heard as
- jacket
- casing
Related terms
Romex
Brand name used for nonmetallic sheathed cable, the plastic-jacketed cable that wires most North American houses.
MC cable
Metal-clad cable: insulated conductors, including a green ground, inside interlocked aluminium or steel armor.
BX
Trade name used for armored cable: insulated conductors inside a spiral metal jacket.