polarization

American  

[poh-ler-uh-zey-shuhn] / ˌpoʊ lər əˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

polarizations plural

1. a sharp division, as of a population or group, into opposing factions.

2. Optics. a state, or the production of a state, in which rays of light or similar radiation exhibit different properties in different directions.

3. Electricity.

   1. the deposit of gases, produced during electrolysis, on the electrodes of a cell, increasing the resistance of the cell.

   2. a vector quantity indicating the electric dipole moment per unit of volume of a dielectric.

   3. the induction of polarity in a ferromagnetic substance.

4. the production or acquisition of polarity.

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polarization British  

/ ˌpəʊləraɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. the condition of having or giving polarity

2. physics the process or phenomenon in which the waves of light or other electromagnetic radiation are restricted to certain directions of vibration, usually specified in terms of the electric field vector

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polarization Scientific  

/ pō′lər-ĭ-zā′shən /

1. A condition in which transverse waves vibrate consistently in a single plane, or along a circle or ellipse. Electromagnetic radiation such as light is composed of transverse waves and can be polarized. Certain kinds of light filters, including sunglasses that reduce glare, work by filtering out light that is polarized in one direction.

2. The displacement of positive and negative electric charge to opposite ends of a nuclear, atomic, molecular, or chemical system, especially by subjection to an electric field. Atoms and molecules have some inherent polarization.

3. An increased resistance to the flow of current in a voltaic cell, caused by chemical reactions at the electrodes. Polarization results in a reduction of the electric potential across the voltaic cell.

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polarization ¹ Cultural  

1. The direction in which the electrical field of an electromagnetic wave points.

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polarization ² Cultural  

1. In politics, the grouping of opinions around two extremes: “As the debate continued, the union members were polarized into warring factions.”

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Discover More

Reflected light, such as the light that produces glare on a sunny day, is polarized so that the electrical field is parallel to the ground. Some sunglasses are designed to take advantage of this property by blocking out that particular polarization while allowing other light to come through.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• depolarization
  noun
• repolarization
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• polarizations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of polarization

First recorded in 1805–15; polarize + -ation

Explanation

Polarization happens when people become divided into contrasting groups. If a teacher lets the class vote on whether to have class outside or not, and half wants to stay and the other half wants to go, that issue caused polarization. Polarization is a concept that comes from science, and it involves light, radiation, or magnetism moving in specific directions. Outside science, polarization usually refers to how people think, especially when two views emerge that drive people apart, kind of like two opposing magnets. When Democrats and Republicans fight, it can cause polarization. A Civil War is a serious form of polarization. Polarization involves people moving in two directions — they're becoming almost as separate as the North and South Pole.

Example Sentences

Polarization is typically associated with insulating materials and ferroelectrics rather than metals.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026

The politicians were joined onstage by Cynthia Miller-Idriss, who leads the Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab at American University and is working with several states to update their strategies.

From Salon • May 29, 2025

Joe Mernyk, a doctoral student in Stanford University’s Polarization and Social Change Lab, surveyed Democrats and Republicans about their support for political violence and found it to be very low.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2023

Cynthia Miller-Idriss, a professor at American University and the head of the school’s Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab, was cautious in answering those questions after the verdict.

From Slate • May 8, 2023

"Rhythm may be neutralized by an application of the Art of Polarization."

From The Kybalion A Study of The Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece by Three Initiates

Related Words

• emission