polarize

American  

[poh-luh-rahyz] / ˈpoʊ ləˌraɪz /

especially British, polarise

verb (used with object)

polarizes, present (3rd person singular) polarized, past participle, past polarizing present participle

1. to cause polarization in.

2. to divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups, etc..

   The controversy has polarized voters into proabortion and antiabortion groups.

3. to give polarity to.

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verb (used without object)

polarizes, present (3rd person singular) polarized, past participle, past polarizing present participle

1. to become polarized.

polarize British  

/ ˈpəʊləˌraɪz /

verb

1. to acquire or cause to acquire polarity

2. to acquire or cause to acquire polarization

   to polarize light

3. to cause people to adopt extreme opposing positions

   to polarize opinion

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polarize Scientific  

/ pō′lə-rīz′ /

1. To separate or accumulate positive and negative electric charges in two distinct regions. Polarized objects have an electric dipole moment and will undergo torque when placed in an external electric field.

2. To magnetize a substance so that it has the properties of a magnetic dipole, such as having a north and south pole.

3. To cause the electrical and magnetic fields associated with electromagnetic waves, especially light, to vibrate in a particular direction or path. The transverse electric and magnetic waves always vibrate at right angles to each other, but in ordinary unpolarized light sources, the direction of polarization of each wave is randomly distributed. Light can be polarized by reflection, and by passing through certain materials.

4. See more at polarization

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• depolarize
  verb (used with object)
• polarizability
  noun
• repolarize
  verb (used with object)
• nonpolarizable
  adjective
• polarizable
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has polarized
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have polarized
  perfect
• has been polarizing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am polarizing
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been polarizing
  perfect progressive
• polarizes
  singular 3rd person
• polarizing
  participle
• are polarizing
  progressive
• is polarizing
  progressive 3rd person singular

Past

• had polarized
  perfect
• were polarizing
  progressive plural
• was polarizing
  progressive singular
• polarized
  participle
• had been polarizing
  perfect progressive
• polarized
  simple

Future

• will polarize
  simple
• will have polarized
  perfect
• will be polarizing
  progressive
• will have been polarizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of polarize

First recorded in 1805–15; polar + -ize

Explanation

To polarize is to divide. Something that's been polarized has been split into two sides that are so different, it seems as though they're from opposite ends of the earth — like the North Pole and the South Pole. Political parties have long been polarized by different views and approaches to government. But you'll also find polarized soda devotees arguing over the merits of Coke vs. Pepsi. Any topic that is controversial can polarize a population, especially if the topic inspires either a fiercely "pro" or fiercely "con" reaction. Topics such as gun control and health care reform have been known to polarize Congress.

Related Words

• part
• separate