word
Ferroelectricity
fer-oh-ih-lek-TRIS-ih-tee
/ˌfɛroʊɪlɛkˈtrɪsɪtiː/Listen
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Syllable breakdown
ferroelectricity
Dictionary meaning
A property of certain dielectric materials that exhibit spontaneous electric polarisation, reversible by an applied electric field
History and origin
Latin ferrum (iron) + electricity — despite the name, iron is not required
Examples
- Barium titanate is a classic example of ferroelectricity.
- Ferroelectricity enables non-volatile memory in capacitive storage devices.
Common mispronunciations
Confusing with ferromagnetism, which involves magnetic rather than electric polarisation
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