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Polarity
5 dictionary results for: polarity
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
po·lar·i·ty       [poh-lar-i-tee, puh-] Pronunciation Key
–noun
1.Physics.
a.the property or characteristic that produces unequal physical effects at different points in a body or system, as a magnet or storage battery.
b.the positive or negative state in which a body reacts to a magnetic, electric, or other field.
2.the presence or manifestation of two opposite or contrasting principles or tendencies.
3.Linguistics.
a.(of words, phrases, or sentences) positive or negative character.
b.polar opposition.

[Origin: 1640–50; polar + -ity]
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
po·lar·i·ty       (pō-lār'ĭ-tē, pə-)  Pronunciation Key 
n.   pl. po·lar·i·ties
  1. Intrinsic polar separation, alignment, or orientation, especially of a physical property: magnetic polarity; ionic polarity.
  2. An indicated polar extreme: an electric terminal with positive polarity.
  3. The possession or manifestation of two opposing attributes, tendencies, or principles: political polarity.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
polarity

noun
1. a relation between two opposite attributes or tendencies; "he viewed it as a balanced polarity between good and evil" [syn: mutual opposition
2. having an indicated pole (as the distinction between positive and negative electric charges); "he got the polarity of the battery reversed"; "charges of opposite sign" 

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
polarity       (pō-lār'ĭ-tē)  Pronunciation Key 
The condition of having poles or being aligned with or directed toward poles, especially magnetic or electric poles.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Polarity

Po*lar"i*ty\, n. [Cf. F. polarit['e].]

1. (Physics) That quality or condition of a body in virtue of which it exhibits opposite, or contrasted, properties or powers, in opposite, or contrasted, parts or directions; or a condition giving rise to a contrast of properties corresponding to a contrast of positions, as, for example, attraction and repulsion in the opposite parts of a magnet, the dissimilar phenomena corresponding to the different sides of a polarized ray of light, etc.

2. (Geom.) A property of the conic sections by virtue of which a given point determines a corresponding right line and a given right line determines a corresponding point. See Polar, n.

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