permittivity

[pur-mi-tiv-i-tee] /ˌpɜr mɪˈtɪv ɪ ti/
noun, plural permittivities.
1.
Electricity. the ratio of the flux density produced by an electric field in a given dielectric to the flux density produced by that field in a vacuum.
Also called dielectric constant, relative permittivity, specific inductive capacity.
Origin
1885-90; permit + -ive + -ity
Examples from the web for permittivity
  • These novel devices exploit a property called permittivity, which describe a substance's ability to transmit an electric field.
  • permittivity is conceptually similar to electrical conductivity.
  • Uncertainty effects on electrical conductivity and permittivity spectra.
  • Frequency and temperature dependence of the permittivity of fresh fruits and vegetables.
British Dictionary definitions for permittivity

permittivity

/ˌpɜːmɪˈtɪvɪtɪ/
noun (pl) -ties
1.
a measure of the response of a substance to an electric field, expressed as the ratio of its electric displacement to the applied field strength; measured in farads per metre ε See also relative permittivity, electric constant
permittivity in Science
permittivity
  (pûr'mĭ-tĭv'ĭ-tē)   
A measure of the ability of a material to resist the formation of an electric field within it, equal to the ratio between the electric flux density and the electric field strength generated by an electric charge in the material.
Encyclopedia Article for permittivity

constant of proportionality that relates the electric field in a material to the electric displacement in that material. It characterizes the tendency of the atomic charge in an insulating material to distort in the presence of an electric field. The larger the tendency for charge distortion (also called electric polarization), the larger the value of the permittivity.

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