permittivity

[ pur-mi-tiv-i-tee ]

noun

, plural per·mit·tiv·i·ties.

1. Electricity. the ratio of the flux density produced by an electric field in a given dielectric to the flux density produced by that field in a vacuum.

permittivity

/ ˌpɜːmɪˈtɪvɪtɪ /

noun

1. a measure of the response of a substance to an electric field, expressed as the ratio of its electric displacement to the applied field strength; measured in farads per metre ε See also relative permittivity electric constant

permittivity

/ pûr′mĭ-tĭv′ĭ-tē /

1. A measure of the ability of a material to resist the formation of an electric field within it, equal to the ratio between the electric flux density and the electric field strength generated by an electric charge in the material.

Word History and Origins

Origin of permittivity¹

First recorded in 1885–90; permit ¹ + -ive + -ity

Example Sentences

"The high-pressure phase obtained this time confirmed the presence of a polar structure from the observation of second harmonic generation of the same strength as potassium niobate, and a relatively high relative permittivity was also obtained. As for the dielectric constant, it is expected that values equal to or greater than those of potassium niobate can be obtained by increasing the sample density, as predicted from theoretical calculations," says Prof. Yamamoto.

From Science Daily

This meant the researchers could reduce the required voltage, because the much higher permittivity of the ferroelectric material allows large forces despite low voltage.

From Science Daily

Research has shown that it is possible to understand a cancer type and its drug resistance status from cellular permittivity and conductivity data.

From Science Daily

The research team validated the system's accuracy by obtaining cell membrane permittivity and cytoplasm conductivity measurements from HeLa cells, a human cell line commonly used in research.

From Science Daily

Another clue comes from the permittivity of the reflecting material: its ability to store energy in an electric field.

From Science Magazine