Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

impedance

American  
[im-peed-ns] / ɪmˈpid ns /

noun

  1. Electricity. the total opposition to alternating current by an electric circuit, equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the resistance and reactance of the circuit and usually expressed in ohms. Z

  2. Also called mechanical impedancePhysics. the ratio of the force on a system undergoing simple harmonic motion to the velocity of the particles in the system.

  3. something that impedes; an obstacle or hindrance.


impedance British  
/ ɪmˈpiːdəns /

noun

  1.  Z.  a measure of the opposition to the flow of an alternating current equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the resistance and the reactance, expressed in ohms

  2. a component that offers impedance

  3. Also called: acoustic impedance.   Za.  the ratio of the sound pressure in a medium to the rate of alternating flow of the medium through a specified surface due to the sound wave

  4. Also called: mechanical impedance.   Zm.  the ratio of the mechanical force, acting in the direction of motion, to the velocity of the resulting vibration

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

impedance Scientific  
/ ĭm-pēdns /
  1. A measure of the opposition to the flow of alternating current through a circuit. Impedance is measured in ohms. The resistance of a circuit to direct current (also measured in ohms) is generally not the same as its impedance, due to the effects of capacitance and induction in and among the components of the circuit.

  2. See also impedance matching


impedance Cultural  
  1. A measure of the apparent resistance posed by an electrical circuit to an alternating current (AC).


Discover More

The term impedance is most often encountered in dealing with antennas and speakers in television, stereo, and radio systems.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of impedance

1886; impede + -ance; term introduced by O. Heaviside

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Impedance spectroscopy is an important tool for investigating electron transport and recombination in mesoscopic titanium-dioxide films, as well as interfacial charge transfer at the counter electrode and diffusion in the electrolyte.

From Nature • Aug. 15, 2012

Impedance parameters show the energetic distribution of the localized states in the bandgap of the oxide nanoparticles.

From Nature • Aug. 15, 2012

Symbol of Impedance Coil View full size illustration.

From Cyclopedia of Telephony & Telegraphy Vol. 1 A General Reference Work on Telephony, etc. etc. by Miller, Kempster

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "impedance" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com