homopolar

[ hoh-muh-poh-ler, hom-uh- ]

adjective

, Chemistry.

1. of uniform polarity; not separated or changed into ions; not polar in activity.
2. Electricity. unipolar ( def 1 ).

homopolar

/ ˌhəʊməʊpəʊˈlærɪtɪ; ˌhɒm-; ˌhəʊməʊˈpəʊlə /

adjective

1. chem of uniform charge; not ionic; covalent

   a homopolar bond

Derived Forms

• homopolarity, noun

Other Words From

• ho·mo·po·lar·i·ty [hoh-m, uh, -poh-, lar, -i-tee, hom-, uh, -], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of homopolar¹

First recorded in 1880–85; homo- + polar

Example Sentences

By studying numerous displacive ferroelectrics they found where Tc is the paraelectric-to-ferroelectric transition temperature in K, Δz is the atomic displacement of the ‘homopolar’ metal atom in Å, and Ps is the spontaneous polarization of the ferroelectric in μC cm.

From Nature

They also increased the gun's muzzle velocity by resorting to an unusual power source: a huge homopolar electric generator which uses two rapidly spinning flywheels to build up and store electricity.

From Time Magazine Archive

In bare ly a second the Canberra homopolar de livered as many as 500 megajoules of direct current � enough to light up a small city.

From Time Magazine Archive