polar

 
Pronunciation: /ˈpəʊlə/

adjective

  • 1relating to the North or South Pole: the polar regions
  • (of an animal or plant) living in the north or south polar region: most polar birds breed seasonally
  • Astronomy relating to the poles of a celestial body: the polar radius of Jupiter is 66,550 km
  • Astronomy relating to a celestial pole.
  • Geometry relating to the poles of a sphere. See pole2.
  • Biology relating to the poles of a cell, organ, or part.
  • 2 Physics & Chemistry having electrical or magnetic polarity.
  • (of a liquid, especially a solvent) consisting of molecules with a dipole moment.
  • (of a solid) ionic.
  • 3directly opposite in character or tendency: depression and its polar opposite, mania

noun

  • 1 Geometry the straight line joining the two points at which tangents from a fixed point touch a conic section.
  • 2 Astronomy a variable binary star which emits strongly polarized light, one component being a strongly magnetic white dwarf.

Origin:

mid 16th century: from medieval Latin polaris 'heavenly', from Latin polus 'end of an axis' (see pole2)