GearCast - Glossary Definition for Polarity

Definition for Polarity

1. In electricity, the quality that indicates whether the pole of a direct current device like a battery has more electrons than the other (negative polarity) or fewer electrons than the other (positive polarity), which relates to the direction of current flow.  2. In audio, a reference to whether a point in a signal is above or below the zero voltage line (positive or negative, respectively). Reversing polarity "flips" a signal so that if a point in its waveform was positive, that point will be negative instead. Often confused with phase. See: Phase.