bi·po·lar
(ˌ)bī-ˈpō-lər
1
: having or marked by two mutually repellent forces or diametrically opposed natures or views
2
a
: having or involving the use of two poles or polarities
bipolar generators
bipolar ECG leads
b
electronics
: relating to, being, or using a transistor in which both electrons and holes (see hole entry 1 sense 1b(3)) are utilized as charge carriers (see carrier sense 2e)
3
: relating to, associated with, or occurring in both polar (see polar entry 1 sense 1a) regions
bipolar species of birds
4
psychology
: being, characteristic of, or affected with a bipolar disorder
bipolar patients
bi·po·lar·ize
(ˌ)bī-ˈpō-lə-ˌrīz
variants
also British bipolarise
(ˌ)bī-ˈpō-lə-ˌrīz
: to bring into a bipolar state
bipolarization
noun
also British bipolarisation
(ˌ)bī-ˌpō-lə-rə-ˈzā-shən
-ˌrī-ˈzā-
The students Manhattan College is pursuing are the products of New York's shift toward a service-based economy, Brother [Thomas J.] Scanlan said. "The economy has led to a bipolarization of society and students have become either very wealthy or very poor," he said.
—New York Times, 23 Mar. 1988
Cite this Entry
“Bipolar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bipolar. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
