different between polarity vs opposite

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p??lær?ti/
• Rhymes: -æ??ti

Noun

polarity (countable and uncountable, plural polarities)

1. The separation, alignment or orientation of something into two opposed poles.
2. Either of the two extremes of such attributes.
3. (chemistry) The dipole-dipole intermolecular forces between the slightly positively-charged end of one molecule to the negative end of another or the same molecule. ^Wp
4. (embryology) The division of an embryo into an animal pole and a vegetal pole within a blastula. ^Wp
5. (microbiology) Spatial differences in shape, structure, and function within a cell. ^Wp
6. (electricity) A measure of the electrical potential at the ends of a circuit. ^Wp
7. (physics) The direction of a wave's amplitude or its being in phase or antiphase.
8. (grammar) The grammatical category of the affirmative and the negative. ^Wp
9. (projective geometry) A duality that is an involution, i.e. has order two. ^Wp
10. (mathematics) An indicator of the positivity or negativity of a literal. ^Wp
11. (politics) Any of the various ways in which power is distributed within the international system. ^Wp
12. (gender) The concept of dualism between masculine and feminine. ^Wp
13. (physics) Ellipsis of magnetic polarity
14. (geometry) Ellipsis of trilinear polarity

Derived terms

• magnetic polarity
• trilinear polarity
• polarity epoch

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• opposit (archaic)

Etymology

From Old French oposite, from Latin oppositus, perfect passive participle of opp?n? (“I oppose”). Compare oppose.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??p?z?t/, /??p?s?t/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??p(?)s?t/, /??p?z?t/

Adjective

opposite (not comparable)

1. Located directly across from something else, or from each other.

   She saw him walking on the opposite side of the road.

2. (botany) Of leaves and flowers, positioned directly across from each other on a stem.
3. Facing in the other direction.

   They were moving in opposite directions.

4. Of either of two complementary or mutually exclusive things.

   He is attracted to the opposite sex.

5. Extremely different; inconsistent; contrary; repugnant; antagonistic.

   • Novels, by which the reader is misled into another sort of pieasure opposite to that which is designed in an epick poem.

   • , Book III

     Particles of speech have divers, and sometimes almost opposite, significations.

Derived terms

• opposite sex

Translations

Noun

opposite (plural opposites)

1. Something opposite or contrary to something else.
2. A person or thing that is entirely different from or the reverse of someone or something else; used to show contrast between two people or two things.

   She is the opposite of her ex-boyfriend who abused her both physically and verbally nearly every day for five years. She now works as an advocate and supportive listener for others who have endured abusive relationships.

3. An opponent.
4. An antonym.

   "Up" is the opposite of "down".

5. (mathematics) An additive inverse.

Derived terms

• opposites attract
• polar opposite

Translations

Adverb

opposite (not comparable)

1. In an opposite position.

   I was on my seat and she stood opposite.

   Where's the bus station? -Over there, just opposite.

Translations

Preposition

opposite

1. Facing, or across from.

   • It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. […]. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts.

2. In a complementary role to.

3. (television) On another channel at the same time.

   The game show Just Men! aired opposite The Young and the Restless on CBS.

Translations

See also

• apposite

Latin

Adjective

opposite

1. vocative masculine singular of oppositus

References

• opposite in Ramminger, Johann (accessed 16 July 2016) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700?^[1], pre-publication website, 2005-2016

Middle French

Adjective

opposite m or f (plural opposites)

1. opposite (located directly across from something else, or from each other)

Noun

opposite f (plural opposites)

1. opposite side

References

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (opposeur)