apolarity
|a-po-lar-i-ty|
/ˌeɪpəˈlærɪti/
lacking polarity / not polar
Etymology
'apolarity' originates from Modern English, formed from the adjective 'apolar' plus the nominalizing suffix '-ity'; 'apolar' itself combines the privative prefix 'a-' (from Greek 'a-') meaning 'not' with 'polar' (from Latin 'polaris').
'polar' comes from Latin 'polaris' (from 'polus' meaning 'pole'); the prefix 'a-' (privative) is from Greek; in modern scientific English these elements were combined to form 'apolar' and then 'apolarity' for the noun.
Initially formed to mean 'not polar' (i.e., lacking polarity); it has retained this specific technical meaning in modern scientific usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being apolar; lacking a permanent electric dipole moment; nonpolar (used especially in chemistry to describe molecules or substances).
The apolarity of the hydrocarbon makes it insoluble in water.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/20 05:20