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polar

[ poh-ler ]
/ ˈpoʊ lər /
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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.
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Origin of polar

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

OTHER WORDS FROM polar

an·ti·po·lar, adjectivetrans·po·lar, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use polar in a sentence

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
  1. 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
  2. (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

Scientific definitions for polar

polar
[ pōlər ]

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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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