polarization

American  

[poh-ler-uh-zey-shuhn] / ˌpoʊ lər əˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a sharp division, as of a population or group, into opposing factions.

2. Optics. a state, or the production of a state, in which rays of light or similar radiation exhibit different properties in different directions.

3. Electricity.

   1. the deposit of gases, produced during electrolysis, on the electrodes of a cell, increasing the resistance of the cell.

   2. a vector quantity indicating the electric dipole moment per unit of volume of a dielectric.

   3. the induction of polarity in a ferromagnetic substance.

4. the production or acquisition of polarity.

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polarization British  

/ ˌpəʊləraɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. the condition of having or giving polarity

2. physics the process or phenomenon in which the waves of light or other electromagnetic radiation are restricted to certain directions of vibration, usually specified in terms of the electric field vector

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polarization Scientific  

/ pō′lər-ĭ-zā′shən /

1. A condition in which transverse waves vibrate consistently in a single plane, or along a circle or ellipse. Electromagnetic radiation such as light is composed of transverse waves and can be polarized. Certain kinds of light filters, including sunglasses that reduce glare, work by filtering out light that is polarized in one direction.

2. The displacement of positive and negative electric charge to opposite ends of a nuclear, atomic, molecular, or chemical system, especially by subjection to an electric field. Atoms and molecules have some inherent polarization.

3. An increased resistance to the flow of current in a voltaic cell, caused by chemical reactions at the electrodes. Polarization results in a reduction of the electric potential across the voltaic cell.

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polarization ¹ Cultural  

1. The direction in which the electrical field of an electromagnetic wave points.

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polarization ² Cultural  

1. In politics, the grouping of opinions around two extremes: “As the debate continued, the union members were polarized into warring factions.”

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Discover More

Reflected light, such as the light that produces glare on a sunny day, is polarized so that the electrical field is parallel to the ground. Some sunglasses are designed to take advantage of this property by blocking out that particular polarization while allowing other light to come through.

Other Word Forms

• depolarization noun
• repolarization noun

Etymology

Origin of polarization

First recorded in 1805–15; polarize + -ation

Explanation

Polarization happens when people become divided into contrasting groups. If a teacher lets the class vote on whether to have class outside or not, and half wants to stay and the other half wants to go, that issue caused polarization. Polarization is a concept that comes from science, and it involves light, radiation, or magnetism moving in specific directions. Outside science, polarization usually refers to how people think, especially when two views emerge that drive people apart, kind of like two opposing magnets. When Democrats and Republicans fight, it can cause polarization. A Civil War is a serious form of polarization. Polarization involves people moving in two directions — they're becoming almost as separate as the North and South Pole.

Example Sentences

In years when there was little polarization or more national unity, like in the aftermath of 9/11, the effect of playing in a diverse political group disappears almost completely.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Light can rotate clockwise, known as right-circular polarization, or counter-clockwise, known as left-circular polarization.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026

They discovered that the detailed shape of the EB correlation signal contains clues about how many times the polarization direction may have rotated.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

“This should be a moment of celebration, unity, and economic opportunity, not a flashpoint for fear, polarization, and violence,” the lawmakers wrote.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2026

Given Walt’s need to exert control and Chris’s extravagantly independent nature, polarization was inevitable.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• emission