I guessed it meant "rubbing to create electricity" like a van De Graaf. Uh, "tribbing" is a sexual act that women can do. that's how i figured it out, but: >

I guessed it meant "rubbing to create electricity" like a van De Graaf. Uh, "tribbing" is a sexual act that women can do. that's how i figured it out, but: > 1965, "study of friction," from tribo-, a word-forming element in physics with the sense "friction," from Greek tribos "rubbing," from tribein "to rub, rub down, wear away" (from PIE root *tere- (1) "to rub, turn") + -logy. Related: Tribologist; tribological.