unipolar

American  

[yoo-nuh-poh-ler] / ˌyu nəˈpoʊ lər /

adjective

1. Physics. Also having or pertaining to a single magnetic or electric pole.

2. Anatomy. of or relating to a nerve cell in spinal and cranial ganglia in which the incoming and outgoing processes fuse outside the cell body.

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unipolar British  

/ ˌjuːnɪpəʊˈlærɪtɪ, ˌjuːnɪˈpəʊlə /

adjective

1. of, concerned with, or having a single magnetic or electric pole

2. (of a nerve cell) having a single process

3. (of a transistor) utilizing charge carriers of one polarity only, as in a field-effect transistor

4. (of nervous depression) occurring without accompanying bouts of mania

5. dominated by one superpower, esp the United States See bipolar

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Other Word Forms

• unipolarity noun

Etymology

Origin of unipolar

First recorded in 1805–15; uni- + polar

Example Sentences

Yet if the U.S. has truly entered a unipolar moment, why are allies behaving as though American commitments remain uncertain?

From The Wall Street Journal

History shows, however, that such unipolar moments are fleeting.

From The Wall Street Journal

While America’s "unipolar moment" would surely not "continue for centuries," its end, he predicted, “seems a long way off for now.”

From Salon

“China does not pursue the so-called ‘unipolar Asia’ and respects India’s traditional role in the region,” Wang told Doval, according to the Chinese statement.

From Washington Post

The United States was the sole superpower in a unipolar world.

From BBC