What is the definition of a parallel circuit?

A parallel circuit is an electrical circuit where the current branches out and flows into more than one electrical device and then flows back together again to complete the circuit. The current will still flow through the rest of the circuit if one of the branches breaks.

An example of a parallel circuit is the circuit used in homes; the television is turned off without turning off the lights. If a device is added to or removed from the circuit, the other devices still have the same voltage as before. The total current equals the sum of the currents in the branches. Parallel circuits are used in homes because they permit the current to flow through many paths even when it cannot flow through one path.