Polar definition | Dictionary.com

po⋅lar

[poh-ler]

–adjective

1.	of or pertaining to the North or South Pole.

2.	of or pertaining to the pole of any sphere, a magnet, an electric cell, etc.

3.	opposite in character or action: The two have personalities that are polar.

4.	capable of ionizing, as NaCl, HCl, or NaOH; electrolytic; heteropolar.

5.	central; pivotal: the polar provision of the treaty.

6.	analogous to the polestar as a guide; guiding: a polar precept.

Origin:
1545–55; < ML polāris. See pole ² , -ar ¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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po·lar (pō'lər)

adj.

1. Of or relating to a pole.
2. Measured from or referred to a pole: polar distance; polar diameter.
3. Passing over a planet's north and south poles: a polar orbit.
4. Traveling in an orbit that passes over a planet's north and south poles.
5. Chemistry Relating to or characterized by a dipole: a polar molecule.
6. Ionizing when dissolved or fused: polar bonds or linkages.
Relating to, connected with, or located near the North Pole or South Pole.
1. Passing over a planet's north and south poles: a polar orbit.
2. Traveling in an orbit that passes over a planet's north and south poles.
3. Chemistry Relating to or characterized by a dipole: a polar molecule.
4. Ionizing when dissolved or fused: polar bonds or linkages.
Serving as a guide, as a polestar or a pole of the earth.
Occupying or characterized by opposite extremes: "In creative territory [they] make a strange yet ineluctable couple, more complementary, even polar, than twin-like" (Josh Rubins).
Central or pivotal.
1. Chemistry Relating to or characterized by a dipole: a polar molecule.
2. Ionizing when dissolved or fused: polar bonds or linkages.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Polar

Po"lar\, a. [Cf. F. polaire. See Pole of the earth.]

1. Of or pertaining to one of the poles of the earth, or of a sphere; situated near, or proceeding from, one of the poles; as, polar regions; polar seas; polar winds.

2. Of or pertaining to the magnetic pole, or to the point to which the magnetic needle is directed.

3. (Geom.) Pertaining to, reckoned from, or having a common radiating point; as, polar co["o]rdinates.

Polar axis, that axis of an astronomical instrument, as an equatorial, which is parallel to the earths axis.

Polar bear (Zo["o]l.), a large bear (Ursus, or Thalarctos, maritimus) inhabiting the arctic regions. It sometimes measures nearly nine feet in length and weighs 1,600 pounds. It is partially amphibious, very powerful, and the most carnivorous of all the bears. The fur is white, tinged with yellow. Called also White bear. See Bear.

Polar body, cell, or globule (Biol.), a minute cell which separates by karyokinesis from the ovum during its maturation. In the maturation of ordinary ova two polar bodies are formed, but in parthogenetic ova only one. The first polar body formed is usually larger than the second one, and often divides into two after its separation from the ovum. Each of the polar bodies removes maternal chromatin from the ovum to make room for the chromatin of the fertilizing spermatozo["o]n; but their functions are not fully understood.

Polar circles (Astron. & Geog.), two circles, each at a distance from a pole of the earth equal to the obliquity of the ecliptic, or about 23[deg] 28', the northern called the arctic circle, and the southern the antarctic circle.

Polar clock, a tube, containing a polarizing apparatus, turning on an axis parallel to that of the earth, and indicating the hour of the day on an hour circle, by being turned toward the plane of maximum polarization of the light of the sky, which is always 90[deg] from the sun.

Polar co["o]rdinates. See under 3d Co["o]rdinate.

Polar dial, a dial whose plane is parallel to a great circle passing through the poles of the earth. --Math. Dict.

Polar distance, the angular distance of any point on a sphere from one of its poles, particularly of a heavenly body from the north pole of the heavens.

Polar equation of a line or surface, an equation which expresses the relation between the polar co["o]rdinates of every point of the line or surface.

Polar forces (Physics), forces that are developed and act in pairs, with opposite tendencies or properties in the two elements, as magnetism, electricity, etc.

Polar hare (Zo["o]l.), a large hare of Arctic America (Lepus arcticus), which turns pure white in winter. It is probably a variety of the common European hare (L. timidus).

Polar lights, the aurora borealis or australis.

Polar, or Polaric, opposition or contrast (Logic), an opposition or contrast made by the existence of two opposite conceptions which are the extremes in a species, as white and black in colors; hence, as great an opposition or contrast as possible.

Polar projection. See under Projection.

Polar spherical triangle (Spherics), a spherical triangle whose three angular points are poles of the sides of a given triangle. See 4th Pole, 2.

Polar whale (Zo["o]l.), the right whale, or bowhead. See Whale.

Polar

Po"lar\, n. (Conic Sections) The right line drawn through the two points of contact of the two tangents drawn from a given point to a given conic section. The given point is called the pole of the line. If the given point lies within the curve so that the two tangents become imaginary, there is still a real polar line which does not meet the curve, but which possesses other properties of the polar. Thus the focus and directrix are pole and polar. There are also poles and polar curves to curves of higher degree than the second, and poles and polar planes to surfaces of the second degree.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : Polar

Spanish: polar,

German: polar,

Japanese: 極の

More Translations »

polar

1551, from M.L. polaris, from L. polus (see pole (2)). Meaning "directly opposite in character or tendency" is attested from 1832. Polar bear first recorded 1781.

Main Entry: po·lar
Pronunciation: 'pO-l&r
Function: adjective
1 : of or relating to one or more poles (as of a spherical body)
2 : exhibiting polarity; especially : having a dipole or characterized by molecules having dipoles polar solvent>
3 : being atopposite ends of a spectrum of symptoms or manifestations <polar types of leprosy>

polar po·lar (pō'lər)
adj.

Of or relating to a pole.
Having poles. Used of certain nerve cells having one or more processes.

polar (pō'lər) Pronunciation Key

Relating to a pole, such as the pole of a magnet or one of the electrodes of an electrolytic cell.
Relating to the North Pole or the South Pole of Earth, or analogous regions of another planet.
Relating to a molecule or substance that has polar bonds.

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