A Half-Wave Rectifier is an electronic circuit that converts alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC). It allows only one half of the AC waveform to pass through, effectively blocking the other half. This is typically achieved using a diode, which conducts current in one direction while preventing it from flowing in the opposite direction. The output of a half-wave rectifier is a pulsating DC signal, which can be smoothed using additional components like capacitors. While simple and cost-effective, half-wave rectifiers are less efficient than full-wave rectifiers, which utilize both halves of the AC waveform for better performance.