nonpolar

[ non-poh-ler ]

adjective

, Physical Chemistry.

1. containing no permanently dipolar molecules; lacking a dipole.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nonpolar¹

First recorded in 1890–95; non- + polar

Example Sentences

Anything oily works, and any nonpolar solvent — meaning the electrons don’t create a positive and negative charge at the ends — can do the trick, Britcher explains.

From Seattle Times

In the new analysis, however, scientists detected a drop in the amount of ozone in recent years at lower levels of the stratosphere over the Earth’s nonpolar regions, where most of the population lives.

From Wall Street Journal

So, flavor molecules will happily take up residence in nonpolar materials like oils and fats, a process called extraction — or sometimes infusion or tincturing.

From Los Angeles Times

For example, the properties that allow you to identify a basic, polar or nonpolar amino acid side chains were seen in the first semester of college chemistry. 

From US News

Because in most cases oxidation makes the molecule less hydrophobic, more water soluble and more like to be excreted through water-rich kidneys; in general kidneys like polar compounds while the liver like nonpolar ones.

From Scientific American