bipolar

American  

[bahy-poh-ler] / baɪˈpoʊ lər /

adjective

1. having two poles, as the earth.

2. of, relating to, or found at both polar regions.

3. characterized by opposite extremes, as two conflicting political philosophies.

4. Electronics. of or relating to a transistor that uses both positive and negative charge carriers.

5. Psychiatry. of, relating to, or having bipolar disorder.

   His wife is bipolar.

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bipolar British  

/ baɪˈpəʊlə /

adjective

1. having two poles

   a bipolar dynamo

   a bipolar neuron

2. relating to or found at the North and South Poles

3. having or characterized by two opposed opinions, natures, etc

4. (of a transistor) utilizing both majority and minority charge carriers

5. suffering from bipolar manic-depressive disorder

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bipolar Scientific  

/ bī-pō′lər /

1. Relating to or having two poles or charges.

2. Relating to a semiconductor device, such as a transistor, that exploits the electrical characteristics of contact between two substances, one with an inherent positive charge, the other with an inherent negative charge.

3. Relating to or involving both of the Earth's polar regions.

4. Relating to a neuron that has two processes or extremities.

5. Relating to bipolar disorder.

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Other Word Forms

• bipolarity noun
• bipolarization noun

Etymology

Origin of bipolar

First recorded in 1800–10; bi- ¹ + polar

Example Sentences

He also has bipolar disorder and, at least once a year, loses all his clients and has to go to treatment for a few weeks.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 14, 2026

In his apology ad, the rapper wrote that his behavior was caused by brain trauma from a car accident 25 years ago which later contributed to his bipolar diagnosis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

At the time, he also told podcast host Justin Laboy that he had stopped taking his bipolar medication since learning it wasn’t the “right diagnosis.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

He has bipolar disorder, and about a year ago, during what he describes as a severe manic episode, he walked into his local guitar shop.

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026

Spending two weeks holed up with Clancy had made keeping up with the season’s bipolar tendencies even harder.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken