conductivity

noun con·duc·tiv·i·ty \ ˌkän-ˌdək-ˈti-və-tē , kən- \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

plural conductivities

: the quality or power of conducting or transmitting: such as

a : the reciprocal of electrical resistivity

b : the quality of living matter responsible for the transmission of and progressive reaction to stimuli

See conductivity defined for English-language learners

See conductivity defined for kids

Examples of conductivity in a Sentence

measuring the conductivity of different metals

Recent Examples of conductivity from the Web

The full-palm conductivity allowed me to text or snap photos without exposing my hands to snow.

— leslie hsu oh, Outside Online, "Snowboarding Gear That's Actually Designed for Women," 28 Mar. 2018
When the tube was stretched ever so slightly, the conductivity of the emulsion changed.

— emily matchar, Smithsonian, "This Low-Cost, Graphene Device Could Help Monitor a Baby’s Health," 22 Feb. 2018
Like the rest of the line, it is produced in the United States and made of five-ply metal: aluminum for conductivity and stainless steel for practicality.

— florence fabricant, New York Times, "New Pot Has More Room for Hollandaise," 26 Feb. 2018
Newer airliners like the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350 are made with a higher proportion of composite materials like carbon fibers, resulting in a reduced electrical conductivity of the fuselage and wings, says Hansman.

— kevin lui, Time, "Here's What Happens When a Plane Is Struck by Lightning," 1 Feb. 2018
Manufacturers have also developed a workaround by adding more metal wiring into the composite material to ensure good conductivity on the aircraft’s exterior.

— kevin lui, Time, "Here's What Happens When a Plane Is Struck by Lightning," 1 Feb. 2018
This latest research could improve that system by allowing operators to exchange that molten salt for liquid tin, which has a higher thermal conductivity than molten salt and, at 1,673K, could supply more energy to a system with less effort.

— megan geuss, Ars Technica, "Pumping liquid metal at 1,400°C opens the door for better solar thermal systems," 13 Oct. 2017
Because of graphene’s high conductivity, the screens could be more responsive and use far less power.

— eoin o'carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, "18 bright ideas for 2018, from flying taxis to companion robots," 24 Dec. 2017
Baking steels, however, have a high thermal conductivity.

— CNN Underscored, "Cooking essentials you should consider investing in before you turn 30," 31 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conductivity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of conductivity

1837

CONDUCTIVITY Defined for English Language Learners

conductivity

noun

: the ability to move heat or electricity from one place to another : the power to conduct heat or electricity

Medical Dictionary

conductivity

noun con·duc·tiv·i·ty \ ˌkän-ˌdək-ˈtiv-ət-ē, kən- \

plural conductivities

: the quality or power of conducting or transmitting: as

a : the reciprocal of electrical resistivity

b : the quality of living matter responsible for the transmission of and progressive reaction to stimuli

Learn More about conductivity

See words that rhyme with conductivity Spanish Central: Translation of conductivity Nglish: Translation of conductivity for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conductivity

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conductivity

Examples of conductivity in a Sentence

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