A dry battery is a type of electric battery, commonly used for portable electrical devices. A dry battery contains a paste of immobilized electrolyte, with just the right amount of dampness in it to permit the current to flow seamlessly. In contrast to batteries containing wet cell, a dry battery can work without spilling, since it does not hold free fluid.

A standard dry battery comprises a zinc anode, usually in the form of a cylindrical pot, with a carbon cathode in the form of a central rod. The electrolyte is ammonium chloride in the form of a paste next to the zinc anode. The remaining space between the electrolyte and carbon cathode is taken up by a second paste consisting of ammonium chloride and manganese dioxide, the latter acting as a depolarizer. In some designs, often marketed as "heavy duty", the ammonium chloride is replaced with zinc chloride.

● A common dry battery is the carbon-zinc battery, sometimes called the dry Leclanché cell, with a nominal voltage of 1.5 volts, the same as the alkaline cell (since both use the same zinc–manganese dioxide combination).
 

● Another example of a dry battery is the alkaline battery. Alkaline batteries are almost the same as zinc-carbon batteries, except that the electrolyte used is potassium hydroxide (KOH) rather than ammonium chloride.