retentivity

[ ree-ten-tiv-i-tee ]

noun

the power to retain; retentiveness.
Electricity. remanence.

Magnetism. the ability to retain magnetization after the removal of the magnetizing force.

Origin of retentivity

First recorded in 1880–85; retentive + -ity

Words Nearby retentivity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use retentivity in a sentence

Hardened steel has a high degree of retentivity, while soft iron retains but little magnetism.
Physics | Willis Eugene Tower
Name an object whose usefulness depends upon its retentivity.
Physics | Willis Eugene Tower
If required for permanent magnet making, it should have the highest possible coercivity combined with a high retentivity.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 2 | Various
The power that a piece of steel has to hold magnetism is called retentivity.
Things a Boy Should Know About Electricity | Thomas M. (Thomas Matthew) St. John
Soft steel has very little retentivity, because it does not contain much carbon.
Things a Boy Should Know About Electricity | Thomas M. (Thomas Matthew) St. John

British Dictionary definitions for retentivity

retentivity

/ (ˌriːtɛnˈtɪvɪtɪ) /

noun

the state or quality of being retentive
physics another name for remanence

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 retentivity

retentivity

[ rē′tĕn-tĭv′ĭ-tē ]

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