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.

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polarizer British  

/ ˈpəʊləˌraɪzə /

noun

1. a person or a device that causes polarization

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Etymology

Origin of polarizer

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

Example Sentences

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

But the cold, white glare was more intense than he had expected, and he had to shut them again and turn on the polarizer.

From The Marooner by Summers, Leo