bipolarism

noun

bi·​po·​lar·​ism (ˌ)bī-ˈpō-lə-ˌri-zəm How to pronounce bipolarism (audio)
1
: a bipolar quality, state, or condition
Saverio Giovacchini, a historian who examined the New York film culture and the lure of Los Angeles from 1930 to the present, traces much of the bipolarism between Los Angeles and New York culture to the period after World War II when the New York intellectuals defined mass culture and Los Angeles as the opposite of art, modernism and New York.Janny Scott, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2003
France regained its great power status, several historians argue, thanks to the bipolarism of the Cold War, which allowed it to exploit a space for maneuver between the rival blocs.Alessandro Brogi, A Question of Self-Esteem, 2002
The secondary is still inconsistent, delivering big plays and allowing them, too. Jason Shivers, who plays the toughest spot on the field, is the personification of that bipolarism.Steve Milton, Hamilton Spectator (Ontario, Canada), 23 Aug. 2010
2
medical : bipolar disorder
Kids fending off depression or bipolarism may get Prozac or Zoloft.Matt McDonald, New Hampshire Sunday News, 30 June 1996

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bipolarism was in 1907

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Dictionary Entries Near bipolarism

Cite this Entry

“Bipolarism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bipolarism. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

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