po|lar|i|za|tion

po|lar|i|za|tion
po|lar|i|za|tion «POH luhr uh ZAY shuhn», noun.
1. the act or process of polarizing or state of being polarized; production or acquisition of polarity.
2. the process by which gases produced during electrolysis are deposited on electrodes of a cell, giving rise to a reverse electromotive force.
3. Optics. a) a state, or the production of a state, in which rays of light exhibit different properties in different directions, as when they are reflected from glass in a particular way, or when they are passed through a crystal of tourmaline that confines the light vibrations to a single plane. b) the state in which all the vibrations of the waves take place in only one plane: »

All light sources of practical importance emit radiation that exhibits little evidence of polarization. For this reason, the optical instruments based on the phenomena of polarization are provided with some element, such as a Nicol prism, for polarizing the natural light supplied by the source (Hardy and Perrin).

4. Figurative. a splitting into opposing sides or extremes; division into opposite factions: »

The polarization of the GOP into conservative and less-conservative wings has become increasingly certain (Wall Street Journal).


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • ve´lar|i|za´tion — ve|lar|ize «VEE luh ryz», transitive verb, ized, iz|ing. Phonetics. to pronounce (a sound) or modify (a nonvelar sound) by giving it velar articulation. The second l in lull is often slightly velarized. –ve´lar|i|za´tion, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • dol|lar|i|za|tion — «DOL uhr uh ZAY shuhn», noun the adoption of the U.S. dollar by other countries as a currency; coordination of national currencies with the dollar. –dollarize, v …   Useful english dictionary

  • so|lar|i|za|tion — «SOH luhr uh ZAY shuhn», noun. 1. exposure to sunlight. 2. Photography. a) overexposure to light. b) the effects of this on a print …   Useful english dictionary

  • cir´cu|lar|i|za´tion — cir|cu|lar|ize «SUR kyuh luh ryz», transitive verb, ized, iz|ing. 1. to send circulars to: »Minister of Health at the time of the last election, [he] circularized all hospitals about the absent voters arrangements (London Times). 2. to make… …   Useful english dictionary

  • bi|po´lar|i|za´tion — bi|po|lar|ize «by POH luh ryz», transitive verb, ized, iz|ing. to divide into two opposing factions: »... to bipolarize the world with competing political ideologies (Science News Letter). –bi|po´lar|i|za´tion, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • cir´cum|po´lar|i|za´tion — cir|cum|po|lar|ize «SUR kuhm POH luh ryz», transitive verb, ized, iz|ing. Optics. to rotate the plane of polarization of (light). –cir´cum|po´lar|i|za´tion, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • hy´per|po´lar|i|za´tion — hy|per|po|lar|ize «HY puhr POH luh ryz», transitive verb, ized, iz|ing. to increase the polarity or polarization of: »Neurons react to an electrical current in fundamentally different ways depending on their location in the brain. Some are… …   Useful english dictionary

  • re|vas´cu|lar|i|za´tion — re|vas|cu|lar|ize «ree VAS kyuh luh ryz», transitive verb, ized, iz|ing. to place blood vessels in (an area of the heart or other parts of the body) to increase the blood supply: »Specialists at the meeting…estimated that as many as 60 medical… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sin´gu|lar|i|za´tion — sin|gu|lar|ize «SIHNG gyuh luh ryz», transitive verb, ized, iz|ing. 1. to distinguish; signalize: »[She] reports to the Mother Superior that she fears Sister Luke is showing off singularizing herself (New Yorker). 2. to make singular or single;… …   Useful english dictionary

  • tab´u|lar|i|za´tion — tab|u|lar|ize «TAB yuh luh ryz», transitive verb, ized, iz|ing. to make tabular; put into tabular form; tabulate. –tab´u|lar|i|za´tion, noun …   Useful english dictionary

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