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polarizer

American  
[poh-luh-rahy-zer] / ˈpoʊ ləˌraɪ zər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that polarizes.

  2. Optics. a device, often a crystal or prism, that polarizes light.


polarizer British  
/ ˈpəʊləˌraɪzə /

noun

  1. a person or a device that causes polarization

"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

Etymology

Origin of polarizer

First recorded in 1850–55; polarize + -er 1

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.

The neural network is trained using two complementary diffraction images, one captured with a vertical polarizer and one without.

From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026

The monitor’s screen coating omits a light-reflecting polarizer, and thus, deep blacks can appear gray if you’re using it in a well-lit room.

From The Verge • Apr. 6, 2022

“Cruz is a polarizer within his own party,” said Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire.

From MSNBC • Jan. 18, 2016

Mr. Zorn, 59, is a saxophonist of firm avant-garde conviction, a natural polarizer and provocateur.

From New York Times • May 19, 2013

By turning either the polarizer or the analyzer through the smallest angle, the uniformity of the colour disappears, and the two halves of the quartz show different colours.

From Six Lectures on Light Delivered In The United States In 1872-1873 by Tyndall, John

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