bipolar

American  

[bahy-poh-ler] / baɪˈpoʊ lər /

adjective

1. having two poles, as the earth.

2. of, relating to, or found at both polar regions.

3. characterized by opposite extremes, as two conflicting political philosophies.

4. Electronics. of or relating to a transistor that uses both positive and negative charge carriers.

5. Psychiatry. of, relating to, or having bipolar disorder.

   His wife is bipolar.

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bipolar British  

/ baɪˈpəʊlə /

adjective

1. having two poles

   a bipolar dynamo

   a bipolar neuron

2. relating to or found at the North and South Poles

3. having or characterized by two opposed opinions, natures, etc

4. (of a transistor) utilizing both majority and minority charge carriers

5. suffering from bipolar manic-depressive disorder

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bipolar Scientific  

/ bī-pō′lər /

1. Relating to or having two poles or charges.

2. Relating to a semiconductor device, such as a transistor, that exploits the electrical characteristics of contact between two substances, one with an inherent positive charge, the other with an inherent negative charge.

3. Relating to or involving both of the Earth's polar regions.

4. Relating to a neuron that has two processes or extremities.

5. Relating to bipolar disorder.

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Other Word Forms

• bipolarity
  noun
• bipolarization
  noun

Etymology

Origin of bipolar

First recorded in 1800–10; bi- ¹ + polar

Explanation

The prefix "bi-" means two, so bipolar means having two opposing poles. Often, this is the name of a type of mental illness. Anything with two poles or opposites can be considered bipolar. The yin and yang symbol (black and white or male and female) is an example of bipolar or opposing natures. However, this term is used most often to describe bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, which is when you experience very high highs and very low lows with your emotions. The negative and positive charge on a neuron or a transistor can also be called bipolar.

Example Sentences

Appeared in the January 30, 2026, print edition as 'The New Bipolar World of AI'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

Bipolar disorder has been my superpower — it’s given me a lot of energy and a lot of ideas.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2025

Dr Trudi Seneviratne, registrar at the RCP and a commissioner on the Bipolar Commission, says it is "completely treatable" with a combination of medication, talking therapies and lifestyle factors.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2025

Bipolar disorder entered the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980, replacing the depression subtype of manic depression.

From Slate • Sep. 29, 2024

Bipolar disorderaffects between 2 and 3 percent of the U.S. adult population, including about 4 million women.

From Salon • Sep. 10, 2024