polarized

[poh-luh-rahyzd]

adjective

1. of or relating to a medium that exhibits polarization.

2. (of an electric plug or outlet) designed so that the plug and outlet fit together in only one way.

Other Word Forms

• nonpolarized adjective
• unpolarized adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of polarized¹

First recorded in 1920–25; polarize + -ed ²

Example Sentences

By studying how this light is polarized, scientists can gain valuable clues about the shape and behavior of the extremely hot gas and debris swirling around black holes at extreme speeds.

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By changing the helicity, or twist, of the circularly polarized pulses, the team could stabilize either the clockwise or anti-clockwise arrangement of electric dipoles.

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Such is the price of the polarized moment we find ourselves in, made worse by social media’s allure.

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America’s increasingly polarized economy is leaving its mark on the lodging business, where luxury hotels are charging a record-high premium.

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But we live in an increasingly fragmented as well as polarized world.

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Related Words

• contradictory