Polarization: meaning, definitions and examples
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polarization
[ ˌpəʊləraɪˈzeɪʃən ]
physics
The action of restricting the vibrations of a transverse wave, especially light, wholly or partially to one direction.
Synonyms
alignment, orientation, polarisation
Examples of usage
- The polarization of light can be vertical, horizontal, or circular.
- Polarization filters are commonly used in photography to reduce glare.
social
The sharp division of a population into opposing factions.
Synonyms
conflict, division, separation
Examples of usage
- The political polarization in the country has led to increased tensions.
- The issue of gun control has caused a lot of polarization among citizens.
Translations
Translations of the word "polarization" in other languages:
🇵🇹 polarização
🇮🇳 ध्रुवीकरण
🇩🇪 Polarisation
🇮🇩 polarisasi
🇺🇦 поляризація
🇵🇱 polaryzacja
🇯🇵 偏光 (へんこう)
🇫🇷 polarisation
🇪🇸 polarización
🇹🇷 kutuplaşma
🇰🇷 편광 (偏光)
🇸🇦 استقطاب
🇨🇿 polarizace
🇸🇰 polarizácia
🇨🇳 极化 (jíhuà)
🇸🇮 polarizacija
🇮🇸 skautun
🇰🇿 поляризация
🇬🇪 პოლარიზაცია
🇦🇿 qütbləşmə
🇲🇽 polarización
Word origin
The word 'polarization' originates from the Latin word 'polaris', meaning 'relating to the pole'. It was first used in the 1810s in the field of optics to describe the alignment of light waves. Over time, the term expanded to other fields, such as social sciences, to describe the division or separation of groups or ideas.
See also: nonpolar, polar, polarisation, polarizing, unpolar.