polarity

 
Pronunciation: /pə(ʊ)ˈlarɪti/

noun (plural polarities)

[mass noun]
  • the property of having poles or being polar: it exhibits polarity when presented to a magnetic needle
  • the relative orientation of poles; the direction of a magnetic or electric field: the magnetic field peaks in strength immediately after switching polarity [count noun]: sunspots can be classified according to their magnetic field polarities
  • the state of having two opposite or contradictory tendencies, opinions, or aspects: the polarity between male and female [count noun]: the Cold War’s neat polarities can hardly be carried on
  • Biology the tendency of living organisms or parts to develop with distinct anterior and posterior (or uppermost and lowermost) ends, or to grow or orientate in a particular direction: the sponge, possessing an axis of polarity, carries an incurrent siphon at one end and an excurrent siphon at the other the embryo shows polarity: it has a root pole and a shoot pole