capacitance

noun

ca·​pac·​i·​tance kə-ˈpa-sə-tən(t)s 

1

a

: the property of an electric nonconductor that permits the storage of energy as a result of the separation of charge that occurs when opposite surfaces of the nonconductor are maintained at a difference of potential

b

: the measure of this property that is equal to the ratio of the charge on either surface to the potential difference between the surfaces

2

: a part of a circuit or network that possesses capacitance

capacitive

kə-ˈpa-sə-tiv 

adjective

capacitively adverb

Examples of capacitance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The capacitance varies with the change in the facing area, which changes substantially in proportion to the depth of depression of the button. —Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 27 Mar. 2024

Back side power delivery with 200-nm bond pads would cut down the capacitance of 3D connections so much that the product of energy efficiency and signal delay would be as much as nine times as high as what can be achieved with 400-nm bond pads. —IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2024

The team had to figure out how to make these films thicker, while maintaining the unique crystal structure that underlies their negative capacitance. —IEEE Spectrum, 14 May 2024

But negative capacitance alone isn’t enough to make a microcapacitor with high energy density—the layers are only 2 nanometers thick. —IEEE Spectrum, 14 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

capacity

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Medical Definition

capacitance

noun

ca·​pac·​i·​tance kə-ˈpas-ət-ən(t)s 

1

a

: the property of an electric nonconductor that permits the storage of energy as a result of the separation of charge occurring when opposite surfaces of the nonconductor are maintained at a difference of potential

b

: the measure of this property equal to the ratio of the charge on either surface to the potential difference between the surfaces

2

: a part of a circuit or network that possesses capacitance