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capacitive

American  
[kuh-pas-i-tiv] / kəˈpæs ɪ tɪv /
Sometimes capacitative

adjective

Electricity.
  1. pertaining to electrical capacitance, or the property of being able to collect and hold a charge of electricity.

  2. exhibiting or relying on electrical capacitance.

    smartphones with capacitive touchscreens that react to electrical impulses generated by your finger.


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of capacitive

First recorded in 1915–20; capacit(y) + -ive


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.

See Examples For:

By popular demand, the capacitive switches on the Roma’s steering wheel have been replaced with tactile buttons and controllers—including, Ferrari says, the return of the iconic Start button.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

We describe nail polish formulations that achieve sufficient conductivity to disrupt the stored electrical field in capacitive touchscreens and register as touch events.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 26, 2026

It has a row of capacitive touch buttons that are used for climate controls but can completely change to stereo controls at the press of a specific button.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 21, 2022

Fitbit introduced the capacitive button as a way to create a slimmer profile and prevent accidental presses, but in reality, it made for a finicky user experience.

From The Verge ● Jul. 22, 2022

The combined effect of resistance R , inductive reactance XL , and capacitive reactance XC is defined to be impedance, an AC analogue to resistance in a DC circuit.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

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