high-resistance
|high-res-is-tance|
/haɪ rɪˈzɪstəns/
great opposition to flow (electric/thermal)
Etymology
'high-resistance' is a modern English compound formed from 'high' (Old English 'heah') and 'resistance' (from Latin via Old French), where 'high' meant 'tall; great in degree' and 'resistance' came from Latin 'resistentia' meaning 'the act of resisting'.
'high-resistance' developed as the two-word phrase 'high resistance' in Modern English and is often hyphenated in technical contexts to form the compound adjective 'high-resistance'. 'Resistance' itself comes from Latin 'resistere' (to stand back, oppose) through Old French and Middle English.
Initially the components simply meant 'great' + 'opposition'; over time the compound came to be used specifically for contexts such as electrical or thermal opposition to flow, so now it commonly means 'not easily allowing current or heat to pass'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or condition of exhibiting a high amount of resistance (often used in contexts like electrical circuits: 'a high resistance').
High-resistance in the circuit caused the measured voltage to drop.
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Adjective 1
having a relatively large amount of electrical (or thermal) resistance; not allowing electric current (or heat) to pass easily.
The device uses a high-resistance coating to limit current flow.
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Last updated: 2026/01/08 05:25