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

Example Sentences

One man told us how his bank had increased his credit limit, even though he had racked up almost £7,000 of debt during a manic episode linked to bipolar disorder.

From BBC

Mice that received microbes from smaller-brained primates showed gene expression patterns associated with ADHD, schizophrenia, bipolar and autism.

From Science Daily

Building on these results, the research team is now applying the same approach to neuropsychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.

From Science Daily

Researchers have grown pea-sized brains in the lab that are offering an unprecedented look at how neurons behave differently in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

From Science Daily

But bouncing from sky to dirt in a bipolar fashion loses its charms with endless repetition.

From Los Angeles Times