polar

[ poh-ler ]

/ ˈpoʊ lər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR polar ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of or relating to the North or South Pole.

of or relating to the pole of any sphere, a magnet, an electric cell, etc.

opposite in character or action: The two have personalities that are polar.

capable of ionizing, as NaCl, HCl, or NaOH; electrolytic; heteropolar.

central; pivotal: the polar provision of the treaty.

analogous to the polestar as a guide; guiding: a polar precept.

Nearby words

polacre, poland, poland china, poland, invasion of, polanski, polar, polar angle, polar axis, polar bear, polar body, polar bond

Origin of polar

From the Medieval Latin word polāris, dating back to 1545–55. See pole², -ar¹

Related forms

an·ti·po·lar, adjectivetrans·po·lar, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for polar

The weather, the conditions, you can imagine it—a polar bear in a desert, with a swimming pool 50 centimetres deep.
More Bad Luck For Depressed Polar Bear|Abby Haglage|July 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Shaked spoke in these generalities initially—referring to two sets of people, two polar opposites on a pendulum.
Knesset Member Walks Back On Facebook Post Calling Palestinian Kids ‘Little Snakes’|Gideon Resnick|July 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sykes suspects that the hairs come from either an unrecognized bear species, or an unknown hybrid of polar bear and brown bear.
Sorry Bigfoot Truthers: Yetis Aren’t Real|Elizabeth Picciuto|July 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She would leave every day of shooting during the polar vortex just grinning from ear-to-ear.
Lori Petty on ‘Orange Is the New Black,’ the Halcyon ‘90s, and Discovering Jennifer Lawrence|Marlow Stern|June 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The world of the military is to the writer admittedly “the polar opposite” of his own.
Geoff Dyer at Sea: Unmoored but on Target|Melissa Holbrook Pierson|May 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is likewise provided with a graduated equatorial circle, with polar circles and those representing the tropics.
Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Vol I|Edward Luther Stevenson
So mounts of ice, that polar heavens invade, Tho piled unseen thro night's long wintry shade.
The Columbiad|Joel Barlow
Both the polar and declination axes are carefully fitted to their bearings and carry finding circles.
Astronomical Instruments and Accessories|Wm. Gaertner & Co.
As I have told you, the Polar Bear was getting ready to turn somersaults to amuse the other toys.
The Story of a Plush Bear|Laura Lee Hope
Already in the Polar regions, some fine species of animals have disappeared.
The Pros and Cons of Vivisection|Charles Richet

British Dictionary definitions for polar

polar

/ (ˈpəʊlə) /

adjective

situated at or near, coming from, or relating to either of the earth's poles or the area inside the Arctic or Antarctic Circlespolar regions

having or relating to a pole or poles

pivotal or guiding in the manner of the Pole Star

directly opposite, as in tendency or character

chem

Also: heteropolar (of a molecule or compound) being or having a molecule in which there is an uneven distribution of electrons and thus a permanent dipole momentwater has polar molecules
(of a crystal or substance) being or having a crystal that is bound by ionic bondssodium chloride forms polar crystals

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for polar

polar

[ pō′lər ]

adj.

Of or relating to a pole.

Having poles. Used of certain nerve cells having one or more processes.

Science definitions for polar

polar

[ pō′lər ]

Relating to a pole, such as the pole of a magnet or one of the electrodes of an electrolytic cell.

Relating to the North Pole or the South Pole of Earth, or analogous regions of another planet.

Relating to a molecule or substance that has polar bonds.