A surge protector, also known as a surge suppressor, is an electrical device designed to protect electrical equipment from voltage spikes. It works by limiting the voltage supplied to an electric device by either blocking or shorting to ground any unwanted voltages above a safe threshold. The term 'LEVEE' is a five-letter word that is used to describe a surge protector. A LEVEE is a barrier built to prevent flooding, and in this context, it is used to describe the protection that a surge protector provides against voltage spikes.