dipole
UK[ˈdaɪpəʊl]US[ˈdaɪpoʊl]
n
a pair of equal and opposite electric charges or magnetic poles separated by a small distance.
n
a molecule in which a concentration of positive charges is separated from a concentration of negative charges.
Morpheme Breakdown
di
pole
di
two
pole
end, point
Etymology
the term 'dipole' is a modern scientific compound formed from classical greek elements. the prefix 'di-', meaning "two," is a common numerical formative in english scientific vocabulary, originating from the greek 'dis'. the root 'pole' derives from the greek 'polos', which originally signified the pivot of the heavens—the axis around which the stars appear to rotate. this evolved to denote either of the two opposite points on the axis of a sphere, such as the earth's geographic poles. in the 19th century, physicists logically combined these parts to create 'dipole,' a word that literally means "having two poles," to describe systems—whether electrical, magnetic, or molecular—characterized by a pair of separated opposite charges or polarities.
Analysis
Structure: di (two) + pole (end, point)
di- (from greek δι-, meaning "twice, double, two"); pole (from greek πόλος, meaning "pivot, axis, celestial pole").
Examples
a water molecule is a classic example of a permanent electric dipole.
the magnetic field around a bar magnet can be modeled as originating from a magnetic dipole.
the antenna's performance depends heavily on the design of its dipole element.