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Definition

adjective

(general) Of, or having one or more poles (in a spherical body); being in opposite extremes.

(chemistry) Pertaining to a compound exhibiting polarity or dipole moment, that is a compound bearing a partial positive charge on one side and a partial negative charge on the other.

(mathematics) Of a coordinate system, specifying the location of a point in a plane by using a radius and an angle.

(pathology) Characterized by having opposite ends of a spectrum of symptoms or manifestations, as in polar types of leprosy

Supplement

Sugar, such as sucrose, is an example of polar molecule. Its structure has oxygen-hydrogen (-OH) groups.

Water is also a polar molecule for having both negative and positive poles.

Word origin: from Late Latin polāris.

Related forms: polarity (noun).
Related terms:

• polar anaemia
• polar body
• polar cell
• polar group
• polar molecule
• zinco-polar

Compare: nonpolar.
See also: polar solvents.